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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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Book y^i 



BOY'S AND GIRL'S LIBRARY. 
XVI. 



CAROLINE WFSTERLEY; 

OR, 

THE YOUNG TRAVELi^ER FROM OHIO. 



BOY'S AND GIRL'S LIBRARY. 



PROSPECTUS. 

The publishers of the "Boy's and Girl's Li- 
SRARV" proi)ose, under this title, to issue a series 
of cheap but attractive voUimes, designed espe- 
cially for the young. The undertakuig ong.nates 
not in the hnpression that there does not already 
exist in tlie treasures of the reading world a large 
provision for this class of the community. They are 
fully aware of the deep interest excited at the present 
day on the subject of the mental and moral training 
of the young, and of the amount of talent and labour 
bestowed upon the production of works aiming 
both at the solid culture and the innocent entertain- 
ment of the inquisitive minds of children. They 
would not therefore have their projected enterprise 
constr-.ed into an implication of the slightest dis- 
paragement of the merits of their predecessors in the 
same department. Indeed it is to the fact of the 
growing abundance rather than to the scarcihj oi 
useful productions of this description that the de- 
sign of the present work is to be traced ; as they 
are desirous of creating a channel through which 
the products of the many able pens enlisted ia the 



PROSPECTUS. 

simple lessons nff^ I i """'^^'^ ^^ the 

cised. They are fixed ,n their determination that 
nothing of a questionable tendency on the score of 
sentiment shall find admission into pages conse 
crated to the holy pu^^ose ofinstructingTe th^ghts; 

XToLg! ''''""-' ^^ ^^"""^ '-^^ p-4.- 

In fine, the publishers of the "Boy's and Gh'Vt, 
Library- would assure the public that an adequate 
patronage alone ,s wanting to induce and enable 
them to secure the services of the most gifted pens 
in our country in the proposed publication, and thug 
to render it altogether worthy of the a^e and the 
object which call it forth, and of the countenance 
which they solicit for it. 



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tiarper's Stereotype Edition. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY; 



ORt 



THE YOUNG TRAVELLER FROM OHIO. 



CONTAINIMO 

THB LETTERS OF A YOUNG LADY OF SEVENTEEN, 
WRITTEN TO HER SISTER. 



/ 



N$;^ 



NEW-YORK: 

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY J. & J. HARPER, 

NO. 83 CMFF-STRKET, 

AND SOLD BY THE BOOKSELLERS GENERALLY THROTTGHOUT 
THB UNITED STATES. 



183 3. 



[Entered according to Act of Congress, hr J. & J Harpei 
fa the year 1833, ,n the Clerk's Office of the District Court of 
the Lnited Stales for the Southern District of New- York.] 



F\^.^ 



ADDRESS 



JUVENILE READER. 



The following Letters are presented to the 
American youth, with the hope that they may 
be found both amusing and instructive. The 
example of the " young traveller,"' in de- 
scribing the events of her journey, and the 
various objects which she saw, is a very good 
one, and may induce some other young persons 
to set about acquiring the same habit. 

It is not to be supposed, however, that she 
would have been able to write with facility, 
had she not been in the practice of compos- 
ing. She very early in life commenced a 
journal, and seldom suffered a day to pass 
without writins: at least a page. She had also 
learned a great deal of history, geography, 
and the natural history of the various objects 
wliich the earth exhibits — minerals, plants, and 



4 ADDRESS TO THE 

animals. She knew something of chymistry, 
natural philosophy, and the philosophy of the 
human mind ; and was thus able to understand 
much of what she saw and heard. Her mind 
was of a contemplative and observing cast, 
and led her to investigate, not only things, but 
the actions of others. Endowed by nature 
with a quick perception of right and wrong, 
and having received, under the care of wise 
parents, an excellent education, she considered 
morality and religion as the foundations on 
which all that is truly valuable in the charac- 
ters of mankind must be built ; and wherever 
she perceived these essentials to be wanting, 
she thought little of the most brilliant accom- 
plishments, as bestowing worth upon their 
possessor. 

Although not censorious, nor disposed to 
speak of the faults of her fellow-beings, yet, in 
writing to her sister, who was younger than 
herself, and whose character was less decided, 
she felt it a duty to point out the weaknesses 
and follies which she observed in others, in 
order to caution her against them. These 
letters proved of great service to Louisa, who 
knew the worth and elevation of Caroline's 
character, and had ever found in her an affec- 



JUVENILE READER. 5 

tionate sister, a tender friend, and a judicious 
adviser : she was, therefore, disposed to read 
whatever she wrote with great interest and 
attention, and to practise her advice as far as 
possible. 

With these introductory remarks, we will 
now proceed to give our young readers some 
account of the person whose letters are here 
presented to them, and of the interesting family 
of which she was a member. 
a2 



CONTENTS. 



Pag« 

Address to the Juvenile Reader 3 

Sketch of the Westerley Family 13 

LETTER I. 
Reflections on leaving home— Obligation to parents— God's 
providence not influenced by circumstances— Appearance of 
Lake Erie— Explanation of the steam-engine— Application 
of steam-power to navigation— Darwin's prophecy respect- 
ing the agency of steam— A fashionable woman— An im- 
pertinent young lady— An interesting child— Dinner-scene 
on board a steamboat— Remarks of Mr. Westerley upon a 
knowledge of the world— Arrival at Buffalo .... 27 

LETTER IL 
Officiousness of the Stimpsons— Caroline Westerley does not 
forget her evening devotions— Affecting behaviour of Jane 
Stimpson— Description of Buffalo — Visit to the Seneca In- 
dians at Buffalo Creek— Mission school— Mr. Westerley's 
address to the Indian pupils— Pagan Indians— Degradation of 
Indian character— Hostility of an infidel tavern-keeper to 
missionary efforts— Red Jacket, an Indian chief— Sabbath at 
Buffalo— Society— Caroline Westerley hears from her rela- 
tions in New-England— Expresses a hope of her own future 
usefulness— Alludes to some of the female writers of Con- 
necticut, Mrs. Sigourney, Mrs. Willard, &c.— Miss Beecher 
-^Literary women of Massachusetts — It is right to glory in 
well-doing— Burning of Buffalo in 1813 47 



CONTENTS. 



LETTER III. 

Great Western Canal— Separation from the Stimpsons— The 
late Mrs. Porter a model of female excellence— Black Rock 
village— Its name derived from its rock formation— Iron pyrites 
— Cornitiferous lime rock— Residence of General Porter- 
Mr. Noah's m.onument for Mount Ararat— Grand Island- 
Waterloo village— Fort Erie— Historical reminiscences— Im- 
portance of connecting history and travels— Difficulty in the 
minds of children of realizmg the existence of things and 
places not manifested to their senses 73 

LETTER IV. 

Chippewa battle-ground— Sketch of the engagement between 
the English and Americans which took place in July, 1814— 
Contrast of former tumult with the present peacefulness of 
the scene— Flowers collected as memorials of the spot— Viola 
Canadensis— Wild rose— Lundy's Lane, or the Bridgewater 
battle-ground— Dreadful scenes of the night conflict at this 
place— Flower of the Amaranthus melancholicus found upon 
the ground which had drunk the blood of warriors— Flowers 
maybe nourished by the particles which once composed the 
human body g^ 

LETTER V. 
Niagara Falls— Poetical apostrophe to Niagara— Emotions ex- 
cited by the distant roaring of the cataract— Sight of the 
clouds and rainbow over the Falls— Rapids of Niagara ; their 
appearance considered as analogous to the human mind in 
certain situations— Different effects produced by sublime 
scenery upon different persons— Causes of this difference- 
Reasons why some affect lively emotions— Fashion and habit 
unfavourable to elevated emotions— Hotel on the Canada 
side— Crossing the Niagara River— Fine view of the Falls 
from the middle of the river— The httle interest in the scenery 
manifested by many travellers— Ladies unfurnished with 
Buitable dress for visiting the Falls— An English party~Com> 



CONTENTS. 9 

parison between female education in Europe and A.merica — 
Ignorance of the English ladies of American geography and 
improvements in the arts and sciences — Music — Botani- 
cal and mineralogical specimens — Conversation upon curiosi- 
ties — Importance of a knowledge of natural objects, especi- 
ally in travelling — Hare-bell, mosses, &c. found near the 
Falls — Mushrooms considered as natural curiosities — Descent 
of the staircase leading to the foot of the cataract — Ap- 
pearances there — Geological character of the rock which 
forms the Falls — Geodiferous lime-rock — Thickness of the 
upper rock at the Falls — Reasons for the decomposition of a 
certain kind of limestone-rock — Calciferous slate — Calctuff 
— Niagara Falls appear to be travelling westward — Supposed 
to have been once as low as Queenstown — Will meet vnth. 
a rock not easily v/orn away, a few miles above their present 
location — Goat Island — Burning spring— Causes of its phe- 
nomena 92 

LETTER VI. 

Queenstown — Historical recollections of it — Conduct of the 
miUtia at the battle on Queenstown Heights — Levdstown — 
Description of the Ridge Road — Theories respecting its form- 
ation — Singular passenger in the stage coach — Proves to 
be one of the Morgan conspirators — Probable motives for his 
crime — Might serv^e for the leading personage in a novel — 
Lockport — Description of canal locks — Geology of Lock- 
port — Scenery — Arrival at Rochester 112 

LETTER VIL 

Geographical position of Rochester — Genesee River — Aque- 
duct bridge — Comparison of the Erie and Hudson Canal 
with the canals of Europe — Caledonian Canal in Scotland — 
" Great Falls" on the Genesee — Remarks on the death of 
Sam Patch — Change in the moral condition of Rochester — 
Geological formation — Red sandstone usually connected 
vvith coal and salt in Europe — Opinions with respect to 



10 CONTENTS. 

the origin of salt-springs — Coal supposed to exist below the 
red sandstone of the State of New- York — Causes for this hy- 
pothesis — Inanimate nature nothing to the human heart in 
comparison to living beings who can sympathize in the emo- 
tions and intellectual feehngs — Reflections .... 125 

LETTER YIIL 

Sabbath-day — Reflections on reading an account of the " Last 
Supper" of Christ with his disciples — Mysterious union of 
qualities in the character of Jesus Christ — Doctrines of the 
Cross not to be comprehended by human reason — Pious and 
infidel parents — Services at the church in Rochester — Cir- 
cumstances which gave interest to those services — Receiving 
the Communion — Sabbath evening — Dialogue between Mr. 
Perceval and Mr. Westerley upon strictness in keeping the 
Sabbath — Miss Westerley's vindication of her father — Mrs. 
Perceval's opinions — Miss Perceval's description of a Sun- 
day's excursion upon the Thames — Scenery upon its banks— 
Kew Gardens — Collection of plants — Chinese pagodas^ 
The queen's cottage — Thomson's description of Richmond 
— CaroUne Westerley's emotions on a review of a Sabbath- 
day's privileges — Increase of piety in the western villages 
of New- York — Fanaticism mingled with Christian zeal — 
Gothic church 136 

LETTER IX. 
Ride to Canandaigua — Mr. Perceval's description of Westmin- 
ster Hall — Comparison between that and the Capitol at 
Washington— Mr. Perceval describes the arrangement whick 
prevails in the House of Lords — The v/oolsack — The throne 
— Westminster Abbey — Mrs. Perceval's description of Queen 
Adelaide — Caroline Westerley's description of her sister to 
her travelling companions — Travellers from Kentucky going 
to Saratoga Springs — Arrival at Canandaigua — Canandaigua 
Lake — Elevation of the country here — Comparison between 
Canandaigua and Rochester — Anecdotes of Mr. G. of C • 



CONTENTS. 1 1 

•^Interesting story of Amelia K. — Female seminary at Canan- 
daigua — Some further description of the English travellers, 
Mr. Perceval, Mrs. Perceval, Miss Perceval, and Miss 
M'Donald 151 

LETTER X. 

Geneva — Seneca Lake — Cayuga Lake — Auburn — Skeneate- 
les, its lake and beautiful scenery — Family of Mr. K, — 
Ride to Owasco Lake— Call at the house of Governor T.— 
Mrs. T.— School for girls near the Owasco Lake— Tour to 
the Onondaga Lake — The Duncans — Mr. Fairfield — Onon- 
daga Castle — A group of Indians — Syracuse — Salina salt- 
springs — Means of obtaining salt — Osv^rego River connects 
Lake Ontario with seven larger besides many smaller lakes 
*— Canal from Salina to Osweg( village — Remarks of Mr. D- 
respecting the improper education of his daughter — True 
gentihty cannot exist without mental cultivation — Know- 
ledge and refinement will always elevate their possessors 
above the vain and assuming — Necessity of commending ab- 
sent friends to the care of a kind Providence — Privilege of 
so doing 169 



Sketch of the state of things at Pleasant Valley after the de- 
parture of Mr. Westerley and Caroline — Employments of Mrs. 
W. — Domestic cares — Her attention to her labourers — Gar- 
den and shrubbery — Mrs. W.'s care over her daughter's edu- 
cation — ^Youthful piety — Wliat constitutes beauty — Group 
assembled to hear the reading of Caroline Westerley's first 
letter — Master James Westerley — Nurse Tomkins — Rachel 
Osgood — The Rev. Mr. Hooker, his criticisms upon Miss 
Westerley's style 185 

LETTER XI. 

Utica — Caroline finds here letters from home — Mrs. Sherwood'a 
Lady of the Manor, and other works — Interesting objects 
about Utica— Visit to Clinton— Rome— Fort Stanvdx— Im- 



12 CONTENTS. 

portant events that preceded and followed tlife building of 
this fort — Situation of Rome — Oneida Lake — Oneida Castle 
— Visit of Bishop Hobart to this place — Trenton Falls — Mel- 
ancholy accident — Some particulars respecting Utica . 203 

LETTER XIL 
Departure from Utica — Canal packet-boat — Remarks of Mr. 
Westerley upon improving the advantages of travelling — 
Time more profitably spent in observation than reading — Ger- 
man Flats — Death of General Herkimer — Gen. St. Leger's 
design of joining Burg03me at Albany — Scenery at Little 
Falls — Primitive rocks first make their appearance — Canal 
bridges — Interesting conversation of a gentleman of the 
navy — A night on board a canal-boat — Thoughts of home- 
Morning — Johnstow^n — Anecdotes of Sir WiUiam Johnston— 
His character and the scenery about Johnston Hall described 
by Paulding in the Dutchman's Fireside — Schenectady — Its 
destruction by the French and Indians in 1690 — Present state 
of the place — Union College — Arrival at Albany , . . 212 



SKETCH 



WESTERLEY FAMILY. 



Theodore Westerley was the son of a wealthy 
merchant, who resided in a town in Connecticut, not 
far from the river which bears the same name. 

As he exhibited in childhood marks of a superior 
intellect, his parents early destined him for one of 
the learned professions. Accordingly, he was pre- 
pared for college, and entered at Yale, in New- 
Haven, before he had reached his sixteenth year. 
His collegiate course passed with distinguished 
honour to himself, and much to the satisfaction of his 
friends. Although he had from childhood evinced 
a deep and serious interest in religion, and had early 
made a public profession of his faith in the doctrines 
of the Cross, he yet preferred to engage in the study 
of law rather than that of theology ; assigning as a 
reason for this, that the former profession contained 
but few Christians, and needed additions of such 
members as were friends to piety. He could see no 



14 THE WESTERLEY FAMILY. 

reason why a man might not be a conscientious Chris- 
tian and at the same time a learned advocate ; why he 
might not defend the cause of rehgion while his duty 
also led him to defend the innocent and oppressed. 
After completing his studies at a celebrated law 
school in Litchfield, Theodore Westerley returned 
to the house of his parents, intending to remain in 
his native village until he should fix on some place 
for a permanent residence. During this interval, he 
renewed his acquaintance with some of the families 
in his native town, and allowed liimself more of the 
pleasures of society than he had thought proper 
while pursuing his education. It is not improbable 
that he might have had in this some views with 
respect to the selection of a future companion in life; 
however this may be, he soon began to manifest an 
increasing interest for a young lady, who, though she 
had been his school-mate in childhood, he had not 
seen, or scarcely thought of, for many years. He re- 
membered Caroline Clayton as a little flaxen-headed 
girl, for whom he used to climb trees to get cherries, 
and with whom he had wandered over the fields, 
gathering strawberries in little baskets made of oak 
leaves, pinned together with thorns ; he remembered, 
too, that once or twice when at home in his college 
vacations, he had met Caroline in his rural walks, 
accompanied by other young girls, and that she then 



THE WESTERLEY FAMILY. 15 

had appeared shy, and as if she feared he might 
speak to her. 

But he now found Caroline Clayton a dignified, 
elegant, well-informed young lady, and, what in his 
opinion was of much more importance, a pious and 
humble Chiistian. 

The village gossips soon began to speak of the 
visits of young Westerley to the house of Mr. Clay- 
ton, and all joined in saying that Miss Caroline 
would make him an excellent wife. Theodore 
readily found excuses for going to a place where he 
always found himself happy ; sometimes he went to 
return a book, at others to carry Miss Clayton a 
new publication which he had received, some natural 
curiosity, or a bouquet of fresh gathered flowers. 

In his frequent visits to Mr. Clayton's, he had 
opportunities of observing that the domestic educa- 
tion of Caroline had not been neglected in the culti- 
vation of her mind. He saw that neatness and order 
prevailed, not only in her person and the little parlour 
in which she usually sat, but existed in other parts 
of the house ; even the kitchen, which had at times 
come under his observation, was always tidy and 
clean. He knew that these things were all under 
the eye of Caroline, whose mother was infirm, and 
who had no servant but a young and untaught girl. 
Theodore even became so much domesticated in the 



16 THE WESTERLEY FAMILY. 

family, that he used to walk into the little parlour 
without knocking ; and when Caroline was not there, 
as he knew she often passed some time in the kitchen, 
he would venture to make his way into that humble 
apartment. CaroUne Clayton thought it no discredit 
to herself to be found employed in household opera- 
tions ; and was often during the morning hours seen 
at the ironing-table, making pastry, or superintending 
other culinary operations. She was always neat in 
her person ; her hair, which was simply dressed 
before breakfast, was never seen rolled up in papers, 
and thus giving her fine face a disagreeable expres- 
sion; in short, Theodore Westerley thought she never 
appeared to better advantage than when exercise in 
domestic duties had given a deeper glow to her com- 
plexion, and a clean checked linen apron tied over 
her gingham dress at once betokened her neatness 
and humility. Neither could he but regard the ab- 
sence of embarrassment manifested by Caroline on 
those occasions as a proof of the real dignity of her 
character. Many young ladies he had known, who, 
with a house full of attendants, and nothing to do but 
to take care of their own persons, were often found 
in dishabille, and observed to be confused at the 
unexpected entrance of visiters. 

It was not a subject of long deliberation with 
young Westerley, whether the amiable Caroline was 



THE WESTERLEY FAMILY. 17 

fitted to be the wife of one who looked forward to a 
high station in hfe ; for though he was not inordi- 
nately ambitious, the young man felt that with the 
advantages of talents, education, and some fortune, 
with which he should begin his professional career, 
he could scarcely fail of distinction. He thought 
that Caroline did not view him with indifference, 
though nothing in her manner had given him any 
assurance of affection ; the young lady very properly 
considering that female delicacy required a careful 
command of her feelings, and forbade tliat she should 
bestow her affections upon any gentleman, until 
assured, by his own unequivocal declarations, of his 
serious and honourable attachment to herself. It 
was probably this command over her imagination 
which had rendered the appearance of Caroline so 
calm and unembarrassed under the various circum- 
stances in which Theodore had seen her, and thus 
gave her an advantage which otherwise she would 
not have possessed. 

In process of time, Theodore Westerley became 
the acknowledged suitor of Miss Clayton, and it was 
arranged that their marriage should take place as 
soon as he had fixed upon a situation in which to 
commence business. In reflecting upon this im- 
portant step, he was led to believe, that for a young 
man of enterprise and resolution, the then new State 
B 2 



18 THE WESTERLEY FAMILY. 

of Ohio presented many attractions : in his own 
State the professions were filled, and little induce- 
ment as respected business seemed to offer for 
settling here. He felt also no small degree of 
enthusiasm at the idea of carrying civiUzation and 
religion into the wilderness, and of being instru- 
mental, in the hand of God, of causing it to blossom 
as the rose. 

Under the influence of these feelings, he travelled 
westward of the Hudson, examining the advantages 
of the different places through which he passed, until, 
arriving at the Ohio Ptiver, he began to see around 
him a country whose promised advantages and de- 
lightful situation seemed to be a pledge that here his 
dreams of happiness and usefulness might be real- 
ized. After due examination, he purchased a tract 
of land, which lay at the mouth of one of the branches 
of the Ohio. This creek, sweeping around in a semi- 
circular manner, did in fact form an island of several 
miles in extent, having the Ohio River on the south 
side. A small lake, imbosomcd by undulating hills, 
and reflecting from its clear waters the thick and 
beautiful foliage of the trees which hung over its 
banks, added effect to the scenery of the island. In 
contrast to the calm.ness of the little lake, the Ohio 
might be seen, dashing wildly along over a rocky 
bed, forming rapids for a considerable distance, and 



THE WESTERLET FAMILY. 19 

then precipitating its waters down a perpendicular 
precipice of more than thirty feet. 

A kind of table-land at some distance from the 
margin of the river, and which overlooked not only 
that, but the little fairy lake we have described, ap- 
peai-ed to Mr. Westerley as a fine site for building, 
affording, as it did, so many beautiful and picturesque 
views. This table-land extended northerly into a 
level and fertile plain, until terminated by the little 
creek we have already named. 

It was to this little paradise, yet wild from the 
hand of its Creator, as was the Garden of Eden 
when our first parents were placed within it, that 
Theodore Westerley resolved to bring her who, in 
his opinion, was well fitted to adorn society or to give 
a charm to soHtude. However, as a flourishing 
town was at no great distance, and the island itself 
favourably situated for the establishment of manufac- 
tories, and presented many fine mill-seats, he thought 
they should have not only the advantages of occa- 
sional society from the neighbourmg town, but soon 
gather around them a little neighbourhood of their 
own. 

The first thing to be done was to erect a saw- 
mill, for the purpose of getting out timber for build- 
ing; and the next to employ labourers in clearing off 
the luxuriant growth of trees and underwood, in order 



20 THE WESTERLEY FAMILY. 

to make room for a house and garden. Mr. Westerley 
remained at the spot which he had chosen for his 
future home long enough to see a saw-mill in ope- 
ration, and a comfortable, though humble, dwelling of 
hewn logs erected and finished with more neatness 
than such houses usually are. He also made ar- 
rangements for a vegetable garden to be planted, 
and leaving in his new house a trusty couple who 
had been recommended from the neighbouring town, 
he returned to Connecticut. 

Had his intended wife been any other female of 
equal refinement and pretension to Caroline Clayton, 
he felt that he should never dare to propose to her 
to commence housekeeping in a log-house ; but he 
well knew that Caroline's good judgment would en- 
able her to understand his views of future improve- 
ment, and that she would enjoy no less than himself 
the fine prospects of nature which their residence af- 
forded, and be content to wait a few years, until the 
elegancies of art and the refinements of polished 
life might give to these an additional beauty. 

Mr. Westerley was not mistaken in his views of 
the strength of Caroline's character, who, having 
chosen him for her husband, knew it to be her duty 
to acquiesce in whatever plans he might form for 
future life. Her greatest trial she felt would be in 
leaving her parents, to whom her attentions had be- 



THE WESTERLEY FAMILY. 21 

come almost necessary ; but then her younger sis- 
ter had just returned from school, and was now quali- 
fied to take her place in the family. 

In a few days after the marriage of Theodore 
Westerley and Caroline Clayton, they bade adieu to 
the scenes of their childhood, to the familiar faces of 
parents, relations, and friends, and set out for their 
new habitation. Some mechanics and labourers 
with their families, had been induced to emigrate with 
Mr. Westerley, from the representations he had made 
of the advantages they might enjoy, to which, from 
their knowledge of his character, they had given en- 
tire credence. The father of Theodore, with his 
paternal blessing, bestowed upon him a sufficient 
sum of money to defray the expense of his purchase, 
and to secure him against want in case of misfor- 
tune or disappointments in business. Caroline, on 
her part, knowing that her husband needed no assist- 
ance from her parents, refused to take any thing more 
from them than the stores of nice snow-white linen 
which her own hands had helped to manufacture, and 
which could be easily conveyed in the travelling 
wagons of the good people who were to follow them 
to Ohio. 

It would be making this relation quite too long 
to attempt to describe minutely the various changes 
which a few years wrought in the aspect of things 



22 THE WESTERLEY FAMILY. 

at Pleasant Valley, which was the name of Mr. 
Westerley's residence. Providence had smiled on 
his exertions ; a little village had arisen around him, 
the inhabitants of which regarded him and his amia- 
ble companion as their benefactors and friends. He 
had early distinguished himself in his profession, and 
though his secluded habitation prevented his being 
employed in trifling business, yet in most affairs of 
importance in the county, and in other parts of the 
State, his counsel was sought. The reputation he 
had acquired of being conscientious in his practice, 
of not encouraging litigation, and of never attempt- 
ing to blend truth and falsehood, or of making the 
worse seem the better side, had given him a weight 
of influence with courts and juries, which rendered 
him unusually successful at the bar. Villains did 
not go to him for aid, knowing that his penetrating 
mind would at once detect their attempts at fraud, 
and that they could hope for no countenance in those 
things from one who was governed by principle, and 
had ever held himself above all bribes : but with 
confidence did the innocent and injured look to him 
as their defender, and never did he feel himself more 
happy than when successful in their cause. 

The log-house had furnished the Westerleys with 
a comfortable and happy home, until time enabled 
them to erect a splendid mansion, and to furnish it 



THE WESTERLEY FAMILY. 23 

in a style corresponding to its elegance, and the 
wealth and distinction which its owners had acquired. 
The two eldest of Mrs. Westerley's children were 
daughters, Caroline and Louisa. These she had 
prefeired to educate herself, both as she considered 
it delightful employment, and beheved it might be 
better for her children to remain with her until their 
characters should be in some degree formed, and 
their principles established. She had occasionally 
visited her parents in Connecticut, and travelled 
much with her husband in other parts of the United 
States ; she had also passed some winters with him in 
Washington, where public business had occasionally 
called him to spend some months : but as her daugh- 
ters grew older, she chose to remain principally with 
them, in order to pursue those regular plans of edu- 
cation which she had laid down. Mr. Westerley, 
when at home, failed not to render his wife his assist- 
ance in her pleasant labours : he taught his daugh- 
ters Latin, and something of the Greek, leaving the 
modem languages to the care of Mrs. Westerley, who 
was a proficient in French and Spanish, and knew 
something of Italian. Possessing a great fond- 
ness for natural science, Mr. Westerley instructed 
his daughters in mineralogy, especially that part 
more immediately connected with geology ; and 
having provided himself with a small chymlcal appa- 



24 THE WESTERLET FAMILY. 

ratus, encouraged them to make experiments with 
their own hands, in order to become practically ac- 
quainted with the principles of chymistry, — a science 
for which the interesting lectures of the professor at 
Yale College had early given him a taste. As to 
botany, there were wild flowers upon the shores of 
their romantic lake, the banks of the Ohio, or of 
their little creek, and upon the uplands of their 
island, that were not familiar to his young pupils. 

When Caroline Westerley had attained her seven- 
teenth year, her father proposed that she should ac- 
company him in a journey, which, partly for plea- 
sure, and pardy for business, he was going to make 
to New-England. 

As Mrs. Westerley 's parents v/ere still hving, and 
had often expressed an earnest desire that their 
grandchildren should visit them, and her sister, now 
a maiden lady, and possessed of much information 
and knowledge of the world, was an inmate of the 
paternal dwelling, she acquiesced in her husband's 
proposal of leaving Caroline for a year in Connec- 
ticut. 

The letters of this young lady may be perused 
with greater interest by the juvenile reader, from be- 
ing acquainted with the preceding particulars of the 
family history : her character may be best under- 
stood by her letters, which appear to be written with 



THE WESTERLEY FAMILY. 25 

entire sincerity, and without any intention of exalt- 
ing herself by dwelling on her own perfections* 
The air of piety which they breathe^ the discrimina- 
tion of character which they manifest, and the de- 
sire of knowledge which they evince, show that the 
care of her parents in her education was richly re- 
warded. It will be seen that Miss Westerley did 
not entertain her sister with those topics on which 
young ladies too often dwell in their epistolary cor- 
respondence. She said little of beaux, fasliions, or 
romantic adventures, things which too many of her 
age and sex consider as making the chief interest of 
life, and which lead them to overlook opportunities 
of improvement, by diverting their minds from the 
path of knowledge and duty. 

Those young people whose minds have become 
vitiated, by much indulgence in reading books which 
give to life a colouring that belongs not to its real 
scenes, or who have learned to despise useful know- 
ledge, in their admiration for what is brilliant and su- 
perficial, will not admire the character of Caroline 
Westerley, or find any thing interesting in her letters. 
They will consider her liistorical allusions tedious, 
her remarks upon natural scenery and scientific 
facts dry and unintelligible. They will not deem it 
possible that a young lady of seventeen, possessed 
of a fine person, fortune, and distinction, could 





26 THE WESTERLEY FAMILY. 

amuse herself in travelling, by collecting plants, 
looking at the formation of rocks, or inquiring into 
the history of the various parts of the country through 
which she passed ; that she could feel satisfied 
with the attentions and conversation of her father, 
without a sigh for flattery and admiration. 

But these letters are not given to the public with 
any expectations on the part of the publishers that 
they will be well received by people who have been 
spoiled by bad or superficial educations. Happily, 
there are at the present day many intelligent parents, 
and many wise teachers, who are training up their 
children and pupils in the " way they should go." 
To those thus educated the publishers present the 
following letters, in the belief that they will not only 
be able to understand them, but to produce such 
as will equal, if not surpass them. 



SERIES OF LETTERS 

FROM 

CAROLINE WESTERLEY TO HER SISTER. 



LETTER L 

Buffalo, (N. Y.) July — , 1833. 
My dear sister Louisa, 

For the first time, I find myself at a distance fi-om 
the calm and rational enjoyments of Pleasant Valley, 
and the circle of friends who render it so dear to me. 
Little can you realize how absence decks with new 
and delightful colours the scenes that we love, and 
with what sacredness it invests the ties of family 
friendships. Hitherto I have been accustomed only 
to the look and voice of affection ; my heart has been 
unchecked in all its kindly emotions, and my welfare 
and happiness have been all-important to the kind 
beings with whom I have been associated. 

It is true, Louisa, that I have long, with anticipa- 



28 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

tions natural to a youthful heart, looked forward to 
the enjoyment of the novelties which travelling 
would present — I have desired to see places of which 
I have read and heard ; and especially to visit the 
birthplace of our parents, that dear New-England, 
of which they are still so fond, notwithstanding their 
long absence from it, and the prosperity which they 
have enjoyed on the banks of the Ohio. And we 
too, my sister, owe much to this " Land of the Pil- 
grims." The education which our father received 
at Yale College, and our mother at the school of 
Miss H., at Pittsfield, has enabled them to give us 
advantages which few children can enjoy under the 
paternal roof. How faithful, how unwearied have 
been the efforts of these inestimable parents to form 
the minds of their children to habits of reflection ; 
how untiringly have they laboured to fit us for time 
and for eternity ! Ungrateful shall we be, if we use 
not every effort to second their labours for our 
benefit. 

But yet, were it only my own pleasure that I 
thought of in going abroad, I should now beg papa 
to take the next boat which ascends I^ake Erie, and 
restore me to the home of my infancy. The truth 
is, I am already tired of encountering the inquisi- 
tive glances of strangers, especially of that class 
called fashionable peophy who seem to think them- 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 29 

selves privileged to stare a country girl like me out 
of countenance. 

I have promised to give you the particulars of my 
journey, and you will no doubt prefer reading these 
to all my sage reflections. We will then go back 
to the moment of our parting on board the steam- 
boat at Cleveland. It was well that the sudden 
ringing of the parting bell hurried away mamma, and 
brother James, and ma petite Louise, as the confu- 
sion of the moment prevented that heart-ache and 
those tears that must otherwise have accompanied 
our separation. Our boat was off", as you know, the 
instant after you had landed, and papa and I stood 
leaning upon the railing and following you with our 
eyes as you mournfully walked towards the carriage, 
which waited to take you to a solitary home. Yet, 
influenced by a foolish idea, which arose from the su- 
perstitious legends of old nurse Tomkins, I forbore 
to look at you until quite out of sight ; because I 
remembered that this was a " sign" that friends 
would never meet again. Papa smiled as with tear- 
ful eyes I asked him to walk with me to the other 
side of the boat ; he seemed to penetrate the silly 
feeir which dictated my anxiety, and took that occa- 
sion to remark on the great absurdity of supposing 
the providence of God to be influenced by such 
trifles as the breaking of a looking-glass, the flight 
e2 



so CAROLINE WESTERLET. 

of a bird, and many other events to which the vulgar 
attach importance. 

By this time our boat was well under way, and 
dashing rapidly through the waves of Lake Erie. 
The image of the clear blue sky was reflected from 
the bosom of the lake, except where the golden rays 
of a bright sun reposed in liquid brilliancy upon the 
unruffled water. My heart, which had sunk within 
me at the thought of a long separation from my dear 
home, gradually expanded under the influence of the 
scene. I thought of the mighty Power which had 
imagined and created the world of waters, the won- 
ders of the land, and the glories of the heavens. But 
of all the works of God which are manifested to us, 
the human mind, with its powers of observation and 
discovery, appeared most wonderful. How grand 
and curious, thought I, is that invention which sub- 
jects to the control of man two of the most de- 
structive elements in nature, fire and water. Papa 
and I were sitting near the steam-engine, each had 
been occupied with our own peculiar thoughts, when 
papa, observing me watching the piston as it rose 
and fell at regular intervals, asked me to tell him on 
what principle the boat we were in was moved for- 
ward. You know, Louisa, that when we studied 
natural philosophy, mamma endeavoured to teach us 
this, and that we drew from our book the figure of ^ 



CAROLINE WESTERLET. 31 

steam-engine, and thought we understood all about it, 
because we were able by the lesson and mamma's ex- 
planation to recite something with fluency, and to 
explain our drawing. But all this is very diflerent, 
as I find, from having a practical knowledge of a 
thing, from seeing real objects before us, and observ- 
ing with our senses their operations. 

Papa, seeing me not prepared to answer his ques- 
tion, asked me to go down stairs with him and see the 
boiler. I was ashamed to acknowledge my fear of 
going near what seemed to me so formidable an ob- 
ject as a steamboat boiler, and took his arm with 
an appearance at least of resolution. However, 
when I saw the care that was taken by the engineer 
to prevent accidents, and when he explained to m.e 
the method by which he was constantly informed of 
the extent of the steam power in operation, I per- 
ceived that tliis agent was wholly under his control, 
and that -with strong and sound boilers and a care- 
ful m.anager, there can be no more danger in travel- 
ling in a steamboat than in a carriage with a careful 
driver, gentle horses, and good harness. 

While standing near the immense caldron, and 
observing the great quantity of fuel consumed, papa 
called my attention to the principle on which the 
motion hy steam depended ; he explained to me the 
manner in which a portion of the water in the boiler, 



32 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

becoming steam upon the application of heat, 
ascends into a part of the machinery called the cylin- 
der ; here the steam meeting with the piston, its 
rising force presses it upward. At the moment the 
piston is raised by the expansive power of the va- 
pour, a stream of cold water by the opening of a valve 
is thrown into the cylinder, which instantly condenses 
the steam, or brings it back into the state of water ; 
this creates a vacuum^ and the piston, meeting with 
no resistance, again falls into the cylinder. 

We then went on deck, and papa requested me to 
notice more particularly the machinery of the steam- 
engine which appeared there ; he showed me the 
horizontal rod or beam which supports the piston, 
and the fulcrum or axis of its motion. As some 
compensation to papa for my ignorance, I repeated 
to him those lines from Darwin which mamma had 
requested us to learn, when she was endeavouring 
to teach us the application of steam. 

" Nymphs ! you erewhile on simmering caldrons play'd, 
And call'd delighted Savery to your aid, 
Bade round the youth explosive steam aspire, 
In gathering clouds, and wing'd the wave with fire : 
Bade with cold streams the quick expansion stop, 
And sank the immense of vapour to a drop. 
Press'd with the pond'rous air the piston falls, 
Resistless shding through its iron walls ; 
Quick moves the balanc'd beam of giant birth. 
Wields his large limbs, and nodding shakes the earth." 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 33 

You will recollect that Saveiy is the name of the 
person who first publishci an account of the steam- 
engine in England, in 1696. 

I wish you to understand what is meant in the 
lines just quoted, by the ponderous air pressing on the 
piston, and causing it to fail. When the vacuum is 
produced in the cylinder by the sudden condensation 
of steam, if there were no external force upon the 
piston it would not of course move ; but you 
know the outward air is pressing on all bodies which 
it surrounds, and this pressure it is which causes the 
piston to descend, the instant the resistance of the 
steam is withdrawn. It is on this principle that mer- 
cury rises in the barometer, and water ascends in a 
common pump when the atmospheric air is expelled ; 
thus it is said that " nature abhors a vacuum." 

Well, Louisa, I have now endeavoured to tell you 
something about this operation of steam ; but you 
will begin to think as I did, what has all this to do 
with the motion of a boat 1 You can perceive what 
causes the play of the steam-engine, and you wish 
to know hov/ this motion is communicated, so as to 
propel the vast building, v/hich is capable of contain- 
ing such crowds of people. 

" Now you know," I here use papa's words, "that 
the great thing in mechanics is to produce power or 
momentum; this being accomplished, there is little 



34 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

difficulty in applying it to any kind of machinery, 
and to make it a substitute for the labour of men 
and animals. It was long after the invention of the 
steam-engine before it was used to move vessels. 
At first it was only applied to raising water from 
mines, grinding corn, and blowing large bellows to 
fuse ores. 

" One of our own countrymen, Robert Fulton, 
is allowed to be the first who successfully applied 
the power of steam to navigation. It was he who 
planned a method of attaching paddle-wheels to the 
engine in such a manner as should enable it to 
propel a vessel." 

Papa then spoke of the great change which this 
invention had produced in the state of society within 
the nineteenth century, of its effect upon civiliza- 
tion, literature, and the diffusion of Christianity. I 
ventured to remind him of Darwin's prophecy re- 
specting the future extension of steam power. 

" Soon shall thy arm, unconquer'd steam ! afar 
Drag the huge barge, or drive the rapid car ; 
Or on wide waving wings expanded bear 
The flying chariot through the fields of air, 
Fair crews triumphant leaning from above 
Shall wave their fluttering 'kerchiefs as they move, 
Or warrior bands alarm the gaping crowd, 
And armies shrink beneath the shadowy cloud." 

I know you want to hear of people and places, 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 35 

and incidents and adventures, but remember, my dear 
Louisa, that I, as your senior, am bound to instruct 
as well as amuse you, at least as far as my own 
poor head contains any knowledge which it may be 
useful to you to participate in ; therefore, you must 
bear patiently with any attempts I may malte to 
communicate the instructions which I may receive 
during my journey. But I am now going to gossip 
a little. By this time you will suppose us somewhat 
advanced in our voyage ; hitherto I had enjoyed 
the protection and society of our good and kind 
papa, who had, as you perceive, taken occasion to 
teach me something useful even in travelling for 
pleasure. Seating me upon the deck, he then left 
me to join some gentlemen at a little distance deeply 
engaged in a political discussion, or at least so I 
supposed, for I could occasionally hear the names 
of Jackson, Clay, and Wirt ; and all seemed much 
animated, as you know gentlemen usually are upon 
such topics. 

Few of the ladies on board had been much upon 
deck, and, for the first time, a party made their ap- 
pearance, composed of two young misses and a 
middle-aged lady, whom at once I took to be their 
mother. They walked towards the side of the boat 
where I was sitting, too much engaged in conversa- 
tion to notice so insignificant a being as myself. 



36 CAROLINE WESTERLEYi 

" I say, mamma," says the elder of the girls, " I don't 
want to go back to school ; what is the use of 
spending so much time shut up in that gloomy 
prison of a seminaiy, just to have it said that I have 
been to school as long as Miss Franklin or Miss 
Vanderpool, who, perhaps, after all, will have to get 
their living by their education." 

" Why, Angeline," said the lady, " you are cer- 
tainly too young yet to be brought out, and you 
must be contented to stay at school at least one 
year longer, — you are not as perfect in your music 
as you ought to be, and you know how much I have 
thought of having you make a display in that, when 
I first introduce you into society." 

" My dear mamma," said a gentle, modest-looking 
girl, who seemed about twelve years old, " Mrs. T. 
says we ought not to learn for the sake of making 
a display, but because it is right to improve ourselves 
in knowledge and accomplishments." 

This remark caused the lady to look rather 
unkindly upon the little girl, and with a severe tone 
she observed, " Miss Jane, I did not send you to 
Mrs. T. to learn to contradict my opinions." 

" Forgive me, mamma," said Jane with the tears 
trembling in her mild eyes, " indeed, I did not mean 
to offend you." 

" And pray," said the mother, without appearing 



CAROLINE VVESTERLEY. 37 

to notice the sorrow of the child, " what does Mrs. 
T. think we send you to her seminary for, and pay 
out so much money for your education, if it is not 
that you may make some figure in the world by 
acquiring fashionable and genteel accomplishments." 

Little Jane hung down her head, and seemed 
afraid to speak what evidently came to her tongue's 
end, when Miss Angeline pertly answered, " The 
truth is, mamma, that Mrs. T. is always preaching to 
us about elevated views and connect principles, and 
condemning what she calls fashionable notions of 
life and its objects. But you know that is her 
business ; though poor Jane here thinks that every 
thing Mrs. T. condemns must be wrong ; you have 
no idea how she treasures up all her words, and 
how much afraid she is of doing something that 
will offend her ; even when we are in our room 
alone, she will often say to me, ' How do you think 
Mrs. T. would like to have us do this, or that ? or 
what would Mrs. T. say if she knew such and such 
tmngs were said in study hours V I really believe 
Jane both loves and respects Mrs. T. more than 
she does her own mother." 

The little girl, with a countenance full of grief, 
looked imploringly at her sister, and then cast an 
humble and penitent glance towards her mother ; 
the latter seemed touched by her appearance), and 



38 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

taking her hand, kindly said, " Well, child, you do- 
right to respect the lady who has charge of your 
education, and I ought not to be displeased with you 
for it. But it is certainly very strange, that a person 
so elegant as Mrs. T., and who has herself seen so 
much of fashionable society, should have such vul- 
gar, methodistical notions. 

"To be sure, we must all do our duty in this world,. 
and we ought to observe such things as distinguish 
the Christian from the heathen. You know, children, 
that I am active in several benevolent societies, that 
I had you baptized in infancy, and that I endeavour 
to conform to the ordinances and institutions of the 
church to which I belong. But I think it necessary 
to support a certain style in the world, and that it is 
right to conform to fashion ; for otherwise, how can 
I expect to get my daughters well settled in life, or 
to keep them and myself in genteel society." 

The lady, apparently convinced by her own argu- 
ments, now looked complacently round her, and for 
the first time her regards fell upon myself, who, with- 
out intending to listen, had unavoidably been an au- 
ditor to the foregoing family dialogue. I was very 
sensible that my person, with its appendages, hat, 
dress, .&c., were all undergoing a close scrutiny by 
tliis lady of fashion ; and probably this consciousness 
bi-Qught a glow upon my cheek, which no doubt 



CAROLINE WE5TERLEY. 69 

tended to confirm the suspicions already excited, 
that I was an imcuUivated rustic from the woods of 
Ohio. Indeed, Louisa, I knew well that my straw 
bonnet made but a poor figure by the side of the 
elegant English Dunstables of the young ladies. I 
perceived, too, that although mamma and myself had 
thought our m.antuamaker very extravagant in the 
size of the sleeves of my merino travelling-dress, 
yet in comparison with theirs, they were mere babies 
to giants ; and I did not need to look twice to see 
that in quality the dresses they wore were as much 
superior to mine, as the fashion in which they were 
made was more modern. All this, you know, was 
somewhat new to me, as we have always been quite 
as well dressed as our neighbours, and from the 
high standing of our father, accustomed rather to 
being loohed up to^ than regarded as inferiors. 

The elder lady, having coolly and leisurely taken 
a survey of my person, and evidently arrived at the 
conclusion that I was not fashionable, and of course 
unworthy her notice, seemed instantly to forget that 
such a being had ever appeared to her bodily senses. 
Miss Angeline, having levelled her eye-glass for a 
brief moment, and by a certain tact which probably 
belongs to h hon ton, gathered from my tout jpsemhie 
that I was not of that favoured number who are 
destined to make a display in high life, drew herself 



40 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

Up into a forbidding attitude, as if to intimate that I 
could hope for no attention from her. 

Little Jane, after the termination of their dialogue, 
and her mother's triumphant proof of the correctness 
of her own views as to fashion and display, had 
looked thoughtful and perplexed. She at length ap- 
proached the railing of the boat, and leaning over it, 
seemed pensively to contemplate the various objects 
which presented themselves. At length she ex- 
claimed, " Oh, sister, see those beautiful crimson 
flowers upon the borders of this little island, can you 
tell me what they ai'e 1" — " You know, Jane, I have 
no taste for weeds," was the answer. The child then 
looked at me, as if she would have said, can you 
tell me what they are 1 Notwithstanding the feeling 
of indignation which I had experienced, at the coarse 
and unlady-like conduct of her mother and sister 
towards myself, I could not for a moment feel other- 
wise than kindly towards the amiable girl, who 
seemed in sentiment and manners to be so unhke 
her relatione. 

" That brilliant flower," said I, " is the cardinal 
flower, or, as it is hotanically called, the lobelia car- 
dinalis, and is very common in damp grounds." 
"ThanJi you, miss," said Jane, "I wish I knew some- 
thing cf botany, it must be very delightful to be able 
to tell the names of the pretty wild-flowers which wo 



CAKOLliNE VvESTERLEY. 41 

meet with in travelling.'' — " It is a very simple study," 
said I, " if properly pursiied ; that is, if the flowers 
themselves are studied, with the help of books." 

" Come here, Jane," said her mother, at the same 
time motioning her to take a seat on the opposite 
side of her, and at a greater distance from me. I 
heard her say, "That girl is probably some farmer's 
or mechanic's daughter, who would be very glad to 
boast of having made a genteel acquaintance on 
board the boat." 

The bell now summoned the passengers to dinner. 
A little bustling man of the dandy species approached 
the party I have been describing, and giving his 
arm to the mother of the young ladies, hurried them 
all to the dining-cabin, observing that unless they 
" were quick, they should not get the Jirst place at 
tahW 

I of course waited for papa, who soon came, and 
proceeded with me to the dinner-table. The com- 
pany were mostly seated when we entered, and I 
perceived that our fashionable party had succeeded 
in securing the head of the table. We were quietly 
pursuing our way towards the lower end of the room, 
where were vacant places, when the captain called 
out, " Mr. Stimpson, will you and your family have 
the goodness to move down, and make room for the 
Hon. Mr. Westerley and his daughter ?" 
d2 



42 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

The captain of a steamboat, you must know, 
Louisa, is as absolute in his dominions, as the Dey 
of Algiers ever was in the height of his power. A 
great bustle was therefore made, that we might be 
seated at the head of the table, though papa politely 
observed, that he was very sorry any change should 
have been made on his account, as he and his daugh- 
ter should very cheerfully have taken the vacant seats 
at the other end of the room. " We know our places 
better than that, Mr. Westerley," said Col. D., from 
Cincinnati, v/hom for the first time I now perceived 
to be on board ; " and we of Ohio know too that you 
usually seek to avoid the highest places, with as 
much care as many seek to gain them." I had a 
curiosity — perhaps it was mingled with a little of 
what our parents would censure as an unworthy feel- 
ing of triumph — but I had a curiosity to see how these 
movements affected my fasliionable critics. 

No sooner were we seated than the little bustling 
man, who had been so anxious to get the first place 
at table, bowing very low, said, in an obsequious tone, 
" Mr. Westerley, I hope I see you in good health." 
Papa, with his usual civility, returned the compli- 
ment ; but, as if he had vainly endeavoured to re- 
cognise the speaker, added, " Excuse me, sir, that I 
am not able to call you by name." — " I beg your 
paidon, sir, but I had the honour of being introduced 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 43 

to you last winter at the President's levee, but I 
could not expect you would remember so slight a 
circumstance, as you was at the time in conversation 
with two gentlemen of the cabinet. My name, sir, 
is Stimpson ; my dear, this is the Hon. Mr. Wester- 
ley from Ohio, whose elegant mansion was described 
to us at Cleveland. Mr. Westerley, permit me to 
introduce to your notice my daughters, who are at 
present taking a short vacation from Mrs. T.'s cele- 
brated seminary, where they are receiving their 
education." 

Mrs. Stimpson, though at first she coloured and 
fidgeted, soon resumed her usual undaunted com- 
posure ; she was " extremely delighted to have the 
honour and the pleasure of travelling in company 
with Mr. Westerley. This sweet young lady, I pre- 
sumes your daughter, sir." — " This, madam, is my 
eldest daughter ; who, like the violet, has grown be- 
neath the shade ; my Caroline has, however, been 
favoured with the instruction and example of one of 
the best of mothers, who, while she has sought to fit 
her for usefulness in life, has never failed to inculcate 
the idea, that true dignity must depend on her own 
character, not on the station which she may chance to 
occupy ; and especially, that as an immortal being, 
she is bound to cherish those high and elevated 



44 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

motives of action which have reference to another 
world as well as this." 

" Certainly," said Mrs. Stimpson, " these senti- 
ments are such as every judicious mother should 
teach her daughters." Miss Angeliae looked at her 
mother with some surprise, while Jane seemed 
puzzhng herself to account for the sudden change 
in her manner and opinions. " Miss "VYesterley," said 
the lady, assuming a sweet smile, and a gentle tone 
of voice, "I am delighted with the opportunity of 
making you acquainted with my daughters, Miss 
Stimpson, and Miss Jane Stimpson ; as you have 
no female friend on board, it will give me great 
pleasure to consider you as belonging to my party, 
while we travel together." I bowed very distantly, 
and, without other reply to this kind offer, finished 
my dinner silently, wondering at the odd combina- 
tion of pride and meanness which my first day's 
adventure had presented. 

When we were by ourselves, I related to papa 
the scene on deck with the Stimpsons : he listened 
attentively, and with no great appearance of surprise, 
seeming rather amused than offended. " You will 
find, Caroline," said he, " but too many Mrs, Stimp- 
sons and Miss x\ngelines in the world; buti trust your 
mind is too strongly fortified to be moved by tho 
opinions of people who aie ever as ready to follow 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 45 

with cringing servility their superiors, as to insult 
with wanton ci Idness and contempt those whom 
they may think their inferiors. You have hitherto 
known tie world, as you have seen it in the 
intellectual and elevated society that it has been my 
pleasure to draw around our domestic fireside, and 
among the honest and unpretending people v/ho in- 
habit Pleasant Valley and its vicinity; but I am aware 
that however anxious I may be to see my daughters 
simple a;:d unsophisticated in mind and manners, it 
is my duty, since they will have a part to act in the 
world, to let them see it as it is, and tmst to their 
own good sense and correct views, aided by the 
blessing of God, to preserve them from the contagion 
of fashionable follies, and a false estimate of worth 
and dignity." 

During the remainder of our journey to Buffalo, 
I spent my time mostly with papa, who pointed out 
the different objects worth noticing which presented 
themselves on the bold shore of Lake Erie, or talked 
with me of the home we had left, or of the friends 
we were going to meet. 

As the steamboat neared the v/harf, Mr. Stimpson, 
who had vainly endeavoured to put himself on a 
familiar footing with papa, approached and said, if he 
" might presume to advise, he should recommend 
the Eagle tavern as the best in the village." Papa 



46 CAROLINE WESTERLEV. 

informed him that he had ah*eady determined on 
taking lodgings there. " That is fortunate," repHed 
the officious Mr. Stimpson, " as we can then be all 
of one party. ''^ 

After much confusion, we succeeded in getting 
our baggage and ourselves into the carriage which 
was to convey us to our lodgings, and I was very 
glad, I assure you, to get to a comfortable apartment, 
free from the jarring and noise of the steamboat 
machinery. 

Adieu, my dear sister, remember me auectionately 
to all the dear family, it is unnecessary to say how 
much I love home and its dear inmates. Papa is 
writing to mamma by this mall ; I hope he will be 
able to speak well of my deportment thus far. 
Accustomed as he has been to have mamma for a 
travelling companion, I am well aware how uninter- 
estirig, by comparison, must my society be to him ; 
but he kindly says, that he sometimes likes to find 
me ignorant, that he may have the pleasure of being 
my instructer ; again adieu, 

Your ever affectioiiate sister, 

Caroline Westerley. 



CAROLINE WESTERLET. 47 



LETTER II. 

Buffalo (N. Y.), July — , 1S32. 
My dear Sister, 
So many obje ts attract my attention, and so 
many incidents continually occur, that I find I shall 
be obliged to abandon my original intention, of telling 
my dear sister about every thing which I see and 
hear. We arrived here on Friday night, and found 
the Eagle tavern full of bustle, caused by the arrival 
of steamboat and stage passengers. The Stimp- 
sons had already taken possession of the best private 
parlour, into which however we were shown by the 
landlord, to whom it seems Mr. Stimpson had men- 
tioned that Mr. Westerley from Ohio, a particular 
friend of bis, and iravelling in the same party with 
his familij, would wish for accommodations for him- 
self and his daughter. Papa, although not particu- 
larly grateful for tiiis attention, observed to m.e, as we 
passed into the room, " As these people seem dis- 
posed to be so very kind, we must m.ake the best of 
them. Th«:^y are respectable, though in their efforts 
to pass for more than they are, they make themselves 
appear ridiculous. But as you, Caroline, have no 



48 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

female companions, you may find it convenient to be 
on sociable terms with the ladies." 

Mrs. Stimpson, upon our entrance, arose from the 
sofa, and most graciously extending her hand to me, 
said, " My dear, how delighted I am that you have 
come at last ; my Angeline was very much afraid that 
you had stopped at some other house, and that we 
were to be deprived of your agreeable society." Miss 
Angeline, running up to me with the familiarity of an 
old acquaintance, exclaimed, "Indeed, Miss Wester- 
ley, we meet with so few genteel people in travelling 
in this wild country, that I was very unwilling to lose 
you so soon." 

But I will not tire you with this disgusting parade 
of sudden regard. You see, Louisa, how perfectly 
contemptible these things are. When the kind lady 
and her affectionate daughter thought me a poor for- 
lorn being, without friend or protector, they had no 
word of courtesy or look of encouragement, but as 
soon as they found that I stood in no need of their 
attentions, and imagined that they could gain some 
consequence by attaching themselves to me, they 
were all affability and obsequiousness. 

Well, it was requested by " mine host" that the 
young ladies of the ^^partif^ should all occupy the 
same sleeping room, as the house was much crowded ; 
and as I really felt no small interest in Miss Jane 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 49 

Stimpson, I made no objection to the arrangement. 
Jane, although a child, had undoubtedly seen and 
felt the meanness exhibited by her family, and it was 
evident that a sense of mortification had kept her 
from making any advances towards my acquaintance, 
after the rude check she received from her mother. 
On going into our room, I took from my trunk the 
pocket-bible mamma gave me as a parting present, 
and silently read a chapter in the epistle to the 
Ephesians. At first, I thought of retiring to my 
bed without kneeling to pray, for there is something 
so sacred in secret communion with our heavenly 
Father, that it seems almost a profanation to be 
conspicuous to our fellow-creatures at such mo- 
ments ; but I recollected of having heard my dear 
mother say, that we ought not to omit the duty of 
secret prayer, even when circumstances did not per- 
mit us to be in solitude ; and although Miss Stimp- 
son was complaining to her sister that she could not 
find her night-gown, and that a part of her baggage 
was left below, I stepped behind the curtain of my 
bed, and knelt down. I then endeavoured to with- 
drav/ my thoughts from present objects, and to raise 
them to those invisible things which concern the soul 
as immortal, and which belong to eternity. At first 
I was troubled with wandering thoughts, but my 
spirit seemed to gather strength by effort, and I was 



60 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

enabled to feel that God did, indeed, draw near to me 
as I attempted to lift my heart unto Him. In the 
multitude of my own wants, I did not forget to ask 
the blessing of my " Father in heaven," upon my 
earthly parents, and my dear sister and brother; I 
prayed that we might all meet again on earth, if con- 
sistent with His will, but especially that we might be 
fitted to dwell together in those " mansions'' which 
the Saviour went to prepare for those who love and 
serve him on earth. 

With my mind refreshed and quieted by the duty 
in which I had been engaged, I arose to prepare for 
bed, when Jane Stimpson, throwing her arms around 
my neck, whispered, " Oh, Miss Westerley, how I 
wish that some one would pray for me." — "You must 
pray for yourself, my dear," said I, much affected by 
the simplicity and seriousness of her manner. 

" I used to do it at Mrs. T.'s ; our room-mate 
was a pious young lady, and always tried to influence 
Angeline and myself to do what was right, and dear 
Mrs. T. used often to talk to me of the importance 
of a regular attention to religious duties, and of liv- 
ing in the fear of God ; but since I have been from 
her, I grow very careless about these things." 

I opened my Bible, and pointed to these words io 
Isaiah : " He giveth pov/er to the faint : and to them 
that have no might, he increaseth strength. Evea 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 61 

the youths shall faint and l>e wea' y, and the young 
men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the 
Lord shall renew their stiength : they shall mount 
up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be 
weary, and they shall walk and not faint." While 
Jane was attentively reading the passages to which 
I had referred her, Angeline sat pinning up her hair 
in paper^^ ap arent'y out of temper, and displeased 
at the sudden confidence of her sister in me, and the 
interest I manifested in her. "Come, Jane," said she, 
peevishly, "do go to bed ; Miss Westerley does not 
want to be troubled with your nonsense." 

" So far from talking nonsense. Miss Stimpson," I 
replied, " ycnr sister has spoken to me on a subject 
of all others the most important. She feels that, as 
an immortal and accountable being, she is bound to 
render herself acceptable to her Maker, and at the 
same time is sensible that she is living in neglect of 
Iho^e means by which her heart might become truly 
* a living sacrifice.' I am too young and inexpe- 
rienced to show to others that ' strait and narrow 
way,' in which I find it so difficult myself to walk ; 
but I know that this is the only way in which 
we can enjoy peace on earth, or hope for happiness 
hereafter." I then kissed little Jane, telling her that 
she must trust in God, under all discouragements, 
and his grace would be sufficient for her, and bade 



62 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

her good night. The sweet child returned my em- 
brace with a countenance reillumined by hope, and 
then suddenly kneeling down, and laying her head in 
my lap, seemed for a few minutes deeply engaged in 
prayer ; she then, without looking at me, or speak- 
ing, retired to bed with her sister. 

On Saturday morning, after a night of sound sleep, 
I awoke to see the bright beams of an imclouded 
sun, peering through the saffron-coloured curtains 
of an eastern window, opposite my bed. Jane, who 
was already dressed, sat at another window with my 
pocket-bible in her hands, apparently endeavouring 
with earnestness to comprehend the meaning of what 
she read. I had not before indulged myself with a 
close examination of her features, but had now an 
opportunity of observing the fine, intellectual ex- 
pression of her face, which, though not beautiful, was 
lovely and interesting. I have seldom seen so much 
thought developed in the countenance of one so 
young ; and yet, united to this was an infantile ex- 
pression of simplicity and plaj/fulness, which com- 
bined to heighten the interest she excited. 

Do not think, Louisa, that I am flattering, when 
I say that this child, though younger than yourself 
by two years, reminds me of you. Her dark hair 
and eyes, her pensive but half-playful countenance, 
and Grecian features, are all like you ; and in the 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 63 

desire which she seems to have of doing right, she 
is certainly not unlike my own little sister. But 
what discouragements must the poor child meet with, 
in the low standard of virtue and religion which 
seems to prevail among her family ! How much 
does she owe to that excellent woman who has thus 
been able in three years (she informed me she had 
been under the instruction of IMrs. T. during this 
time) to counteract in so great a degree the injurious 
effects of maternal example and precept, and to im- 
plant in her mind higher and better principles ! And, 
my dear sister, what cause of gratitude to God have 
we, that have ever been encouraged by our parents 
in ail that is good aiid noble, ^vho have not only 
given us virtuous and pious precepts, but in their 
own lives and conduct have constantly exhibited the 
charms of moral virtue, united to the " beauty of 
holiness !" 

But I must hasten to give you some information 
about Buffalo, and what is interesting in its locali- 
ties or history. I will first call your attention to its 
geographical situation. 

Buffalo is the capital of Erie county, and is situ- 
ated at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the point 
from whence the Niagara River, issuing from this 
lake, rushes forth, bearing the waters of the immense 
western lakes towards the Ontario, and thus forming 



64 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

a communication between the Atlantic Ocean and 
the great inland waters of the west. Look upon 
your map, sister, and you will see that this must at 
some future day become a place of vast importance 
to the United States. Connected to the Ohio River 
by means of Lake Erie and the Ohio state canal, 
and to the Hudson by the grand canal of New- York, 
it has a free navigation to the Mississippi and the 
Gulf of Mexico, to the city of New-York, and to 
Delaware and Maryland, by means of canals con- 
necting the Susquehanna and Delaware to the Hud- 
son river. It may also command, by means of Lake 
Erie, Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the St. Law- 
rence, the trade of both Upper and Lower Canada. 

The village of Buffalo is about 300 miles west of 
Albany, and 240 miles east of Sandusky, which, you 
know, is nearly at the west end of Lake Erie. 

I am told that this village contains about 7000 
inhabitants, and 1000 buildings. It appears to have 
been laid out with the expectation of future greatness; 
that is, every thing is on a large scale ; the streets 
cross each other at right angles, and large spaces are 
left for public squares ; that on which stands the 
court-house, a neat and handsome building, seems 
still rough and uncultivated. This square might be 
highly ornamental to the village, if levelled and set 
out with handsome trees, and covered by a rich 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 55 

greensward. As the place increases, these things 
will probably be attended to. 

I suppose you will smile to hear me talking of 
rough and uncultivated spots, me who have been 
raised^ as the southerners say, in the veiy heart of 
the wilderness, and to whom, with the exception of 
our own residence, log-houses and half-cleared 
fields are much more familiar than elegant mansions 
and pleasure-grounds. But the truth is, what I have 
been saying about the roughness of some of the 
streets and grounds of Buffalo was suggested rather 
by papa's observation, than my own ; Miss Ange- 
line is always ready with her comparisons of these 
to Broadway, Park Place, or the Battery, and my 
young friend Jcine seems evidently much surprised 
to see the charred stumps of trees by the side of 
beautiful houses, and uncultivated grounds con- 
tiguous to populous streets. As for Mrs. Stimpson, 
she sees little in either nature or art, which she thinks 
to be genteel., and is very anxious to get back to her 
favourite New-York. 

On Saturday we rode to the Indian settlement on 
Buffalo Creek, a small stream, which empties into 
Lake Erie, a little east of the village. These In- 
dians are a part of the remains of the Senecas, once 
an important tribe, and one of the Six Nations, M'ho 
formed a powerful confederacy. The whole were 



56 CAROLINE WESTERLEV. 

sometimes called the Iroquois, a name given by the 
French. From their boldness and success in war, 
they have been termed the Romans of America. 
This confederacy, besides the Senecas, consisted of 
the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and 
Tuscaroras. The Mohav, ks lived on the banks of 
the principal branch of the Hudson, which still bears 
their name. The other nations, except the Tusca- 
roras, who came from North Carohna, lived around 
the lakes v/hich still bear their names. Of these 
lakes I hope hereafter to be able to tell you some- 
thing, as papa intends visiting some of them on our 
way to Albany. 

You v/iil recollect the interesting chapter on the In- 
dians, in the history of the " Republic of America." 
I wa probably then more desirous of seeing the In- 
dian settlement on Buffalo Creek, from having studied 
the map which shows the former location and con- 
quests of these people. You will do well to read 
again the chapter to which I have referred, and to 
observe upon the Indian map the places formerly 
occupied by the Six Nations. 

It is of the Senecas that I am now going to tell 
you, or rather of the small portion of that people who 
dwell at the Indian settlement near Buffalo. This 
nation formerly, not only inhabited the countiy 
around Seneca Lake, but extended to the southern 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 67 

shore of Lake Ontario, south to the sources of the 
Susquehanna and Ohio, and west beyond the falls 
of Niagara, or Jagara, as it was termed in the Indian 
tongue. Only about 1500 of this great nation now 
remain, and these are scattered in various detached 
settlements in Canada and the United States. 

Soon after entering the Indian village, we arrived 
at the mission-school ; I was very desirous of seeing 
this, and witnessing the effect of an attempt to civil- 
ize these children of the forest. Papa had a 
short conversation M'ith some of the mission family, 
who live at the school-house ; they appeared to be 
pious, and anxious for the welfare of the Indians. 
They showed us various kinds of articles of their 
manufacture, of which I have bought for mamma 
and you some moccasins, ornamented with wampum, 
and for James some little neat baskets of birch bark 
filled with maple sugar. 

On entering the school-room, we were introduced 
to the teacher, a man who appeared to be devoted 
to the cause in which he had engaged, and satisfied 
to give up the refinements of society for the sake 
of doing good. He was a clergyman, as well as 
an instructer, and seemed to have much at heart the 
spiritual welfare of this remnant of a pagan nation. 
After speaking with us a few moments at the door, 
he invited us to enter the school-room and see the 



58 CAROLINE WE3TE14LEY. 

pupils ; here were about forty Indian children of 
both sexes, from the ages of four to sixteen years. 
They appeared attentive and orderly. On our en- 
trance, they rose with respect ; but in a moment 
were seated, and had resumed their studies. 

The school-room was very convenient, the seats 
being raised one above another, and all except those 
appropriated for the younger pupils furnished with 
writing-desks. The room, as near as I could judge, 
was about twenty-five feet square, or near the size 
of our dining-room. The pu[)iis were neatly though 
coarsely clad ; much in the same way as we usually 
find the children in common country schools. The 
boys were arranged on one side of the house, the 
girls on the other. 

The expression of countenance among these 
Indian children was very different ; some looked 
dull, as if their mental faculties were either very 
limited, or in a state of inaction ; but in others, the 
quick glancing eye and the beam of intelligence 
showed the kindling of mind, and capacity for intel- 
lectual improvement. We heard most of them 
read passages from the English Testament ; some 
with much propriety, and an appearance of reverence 
and devotion ; otliers read in a heavy, monotonous 
manner, as if they neither comprehended the subject 
nor felt an interest in the exercise. Some specimens 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 59 

of their writing were very neat, and some of their 
writing-books exhibited much carefuhiess. The 
elder pupils learn arithmetic and geography, besides 
reading, writing, and spelling. After the teacher 
had examined them in their different studies, papa 
made a short address, as nearly as I can recollect, 
in the following words : 

" My dear children, I have felt great satisfaction 
in seeing the progress you are malang in learning. 
All good white people love the Indians — your fathers 
once owned all this country. The white people 
came across the Great Water, and wanted to live 
here, that they might worship the true God in the 
way which they thought most agreeable to his will. 
They v/ere kindly received, and well treated at first ; 
but afterward, wars sprang up between them and 
your fathers ; much blood was shed, and there was 
much evil on both sides. Many whites who called 
themselves Christians, but were unworthy the name, 
taught the Indians to use strong drinks, and to do 
other bad habits. 

"We feel that your people have been wronged, and 
there is now a great desire among Christians that 
you may be instructed in such things as will render 
your condition in this life more comfortable, and 
especially that you may be taught to read the Holy 
Bible, which the Great Father above has given both 



60 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

to his red and white children, to direct them how 
they may please him. This hook many among you 
have now learned to read ; some of you appear ta 
feel the importance of understanding it, and I cannot 
but hope you will be led to love its commandments, 
and to serve God, who is a Spirit, ' in spirit and in 
truth.' 

" You see how anxious your teacher is for your 
welfare, and how cheerfully he comes to live among 
you, far from his own family and friends, that he 
may bring you out of a state of savage ignorance 
and heathen darkness, to the knowledge of the arts' 
and sciences of civihzed life, and the glorious hght 
of the gospel. I doubt not, my dear children, but 
you love him, and feel thankful to him. 

" When you see the poor little children of your 
tribe, whose pagan parents will not permit them to 
go to school and learn, but who wander about dirty 
and idle, and are taught to hate the Bible, and de- 
spise all knowledge of books, do you not feel very 
sorry for them, and pray that God will convert their 
wicked parents, so that they may be led to accept 
for their children the kind offers of the good mis- 
sionaries ? But you must strive to show these poor 
children, and their heathen parents, that what you 
learn at the mission-school makes you better, ir 
you are kind, peaceable, and industrious, they will 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 61 

by-and-by believe there is some good in these 
things. I shall put some money into the mission- 
box, to help support your school, and pray that 
God's blessing may rest upon it, and make it the 
means of much good to his red children." 

During this address the pupils stood, and most 
of them appeared to listen with attention. I noticed 
that one boy of about fifteen seemed agitated with 
vaiyihg emotions ; when the wars between his peo- 
ple and the whites were alluded to, his eye Idndled, 
and his form seemed to expand ; and I could well 
imagine him a future Philip or Tecumseh, ready to 
sacrifice himself for his nation's wrongs. But when 
the subject changed, to the efforts now m.aking by 
the whites for the improvement of the Indians, and 
the importance of their being able to read the Holy 
Scriptures, that they might learn the will of God, a 
gradual change in his countenance and attitude took 
place. A subdued, grateful, and pious feeling 
seemed to melt his stubborn spirit ; and dropping 
his head, he showed that the momentary spark of 
revenge was extinguislied, and a pure and holy flame 
kindled by Divine grace had taken its place. Fancy 
then pictured liim as one day appearing among his 
red brethren, the apostle of Jesus Christ, the firm, 
undaunted defender of Christianity, the preacher of 



62 CaHOLINE VVESttRLtV. 

morality and a pure religion to the degraded heathen 
of his people. 

After this interesting visit to the school, we pro* 
ceeded farther into the village, in order to see the 
habitations of the chiefs. Notwithstanding the great 
efforts made by missionaries and the mission-school, 
but few, comparatively, of the Indians about Buffalo 
Creek are as yet favourable to the introduction 
among them of civilization and Christianity. The 
pagans are hostile towards the Christian Indians, 
and these, on their part, generally choose to with- 
draw from them. Thus, the latter are settled more 
in the vicinity of the mission-house, while the former 
congregate around the habitations of their chiefs, 
most of whom stubbornly adhere to the heathen 
faith of their fathers. 

The dwellings of these chiefs were nothing more 
than small and mean wooden houses, without being 
painted, or exhibiting in their exterior any thing like 
comfort or neatness. We did not enter the dwellings 
of the chiefs, as we were informed the occupants 
were absent ; but we went towards one of the more 
common huts, intending to take a view of the in- 
terior. As we approached, an open door presented 
a most disgusting scene of filth and poverty ; in 
one corner, a sow and her pigs were luxuriating upon 
pumpkins and com, the scattered fragments of which 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 63 

were thrown about the ground, which formed the 
floor, in heterogeneous confusion. In another cor- 
ner lay a parcel of straw, covered with some dirty 
rags ; this was probably the bed of the whole family. 
As for semblance of chair or table, no such thing 
appeared, unless a few blocks of wood, and a plat- 
form of rough boards, on one side of the apartment, 
might be construed into these articles. 

After a short survey of the premises and the 
musical group who were feasting so plentifully within, 
we looked out to see if any of the human inhab- 
itants might be discerned ; a group was seen 
advancing, composed of old women, young women, 
and children, laden with baskets of corn and potatoes. 
Their appearance was in perfect keeping with that 
of their habitation ; a few scanty rags, or pieces of 
blankets, composed the garments of the women ; 
their long straight hair hung around their faces, whose 
copper-coloured hue was rendered still more swarthy 
by an accumulation of dirt, or, as geologists would 
say, of earthy matter. But even among these 
miserable beings was seen an attempt at finery, in 
the display of large tin and pewter broaches, and 
brass rings, and other fancied ornaments. There 
could not have been fewer than twelve, including 
children, in this company, who, with their husbands, 
fathers, and grandfathers, all lived in the adjacent 



64 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

hut; which contained but the single apartment 
described. 

There is something highly picturesque and roman- 
tic in the primitive wildness of the savage state ; 
the huge wigwam in the heart of the forest, with its 
painted warriors, the war-dance, the war-hoop, the 
tomahawk, and the bow and arrow, all enter into the 
picture which the mind forms of the North American 
Indians. Contrast this with the present squalid 
and debased condition of the remnant of the Senecas, 
and how striking is the difference ! After giving 
these miserable beings a few shillings, which were 
no doubt soon to be expended for the liquid poison 
to which they are enslaved, we entered our carriage, 
and turned our course towards the village of Buffalo. 

A heavy shower now seemed gathering, and it 
burst upon us just as we had passed the Indian settle- 
ment. We were glad to avail ourselves of the first 
shelter which offered. This proved to be a very 
sink of iniquity ; a grog-shop, kept for the purpose 
of enticing the Indians to traffic away the little pro- 
duce of their lands for intoxicating liquors. I 
shuddered on entering this abode of wickedness 
and gate to ruin. There was an appearance of cast- 
off finery in some of the furniture, which denoted 
the proprietors to have at least known the decencies 
of civilized life, but every thing was so filthy, so 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. G5 

disorderly and disgusting, that I soon felt as if I had 
rather be exposed to the storm without than sit in 
that house a moment. Drunken and profane Indians 
and whites were congregated in the bar-room, the 
door of which, standing open, presented a full view 
of its ranges of bottles and tumblers, displayed for 
the purpose of suggesting to the wayfaring the 
pleasures of the intoxicating draught. 

The landlord seemed disposed to avail himself of 
the chance which had thrown us under his roof, by 
endeavouring to learn who we were, and for what 
purpose we were in that secluded spot. 

When papa spoke of having visited the mission- 
school, he broke out into violent invectives against 
it ; said that it did more hurt than good to attempt 
teaching the Indians, especially teaching them the 
narrow and superstitious belief of the missionaries. 
He considered paganism and Christianity as standing 
on equal ground ; all religion was priestcraft, and all 
morality was hypocrisy. This man, thought I, surely 
must be allowed to possess a correspondence of 
principle and practice. Disgusted with the bold 
impiety of his discourse, and perceiving the storm 
to be somewhat abated, we fled from this place, as 
Lot did from Sodom, and without the least disposi- 
tion to look back upon it. 

Papa observed, that this man's hostility to the 
F 2 



66 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

mission-school, and all efforts for improving the 
Indians, undoubtedly arose from the circumstance 
that they interfered with his petty gains ; as the con- 
verted Indians would not resort to him for liquor. 

The famous warrior and chief Red Jacket be- 
longed to the Seneca Indians. He died within the 
last year or two ; brave, subtle, and revengeful, his 
spirit seemed unconquered, even to the last. He 
lived to be aged, and ever remained a sworn enemy 
to Christianity. On our return from the Indian 
village, papa showed me a speech of this chief, in 
answer to a proposal made by a missionary to teach 
among his people the religion of Jesus Christ. As 
I know you are always interested in Indian eloquence, 
I will transcribe a part of this for your perusal. 

" Friend and Brother, — It was the will of the 
Great Spirit that we should meet together this day. 
He orders all things, and has given us a fine day for 
our council. He has taken his garment from before 
the sun, and caused it to shine with brightness upon 
us. Our eyes are opened, that we see clearly •, our 
ears are unstopped, so that we have been able to 
hear distinctly the words you have spoken. For all 
these favours we thank the Great Spirit, and liim 
only. 

" Brother, — Listen to what v*'e say. There was 
a time when our forefathers owned this great 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 67 

island. Their seats extended from the rising to the 
setting sun. The Great Spirit had made it for 
the use of Indians. He had created the buffalo, 
deer, and other animals, for food. He had made 
the bear and the beaver. Their skins served us for 
clothing. He had scattered them over the earth, 
and taught us how to take them. He had caused 
the earth to produce corn and bread. All this he had 
done for his red children, because he loved them. But 
an evil day came upon us. Your forefathers crossed 
the great water, and landed on this island. Their 
numbers were small. They found friends, and not 
enemies. They told us they had fled from their 
own country for fear of wicked men, and had come 
here to enjoy their religion. They asked for a smdl 
seat. We took pity on them, and granted their re- 
quest ; and they sat down among us. We gave 
them corn and meat; they gave us poison in return. 
They brought strong liquor among us. It was 
strong and powerful, and has slain thousands. 

"Brother, — Our seats were once large, and yours 
were small. You have now become a great people, 
and we have scarcely a place left to spread our 
blankets. You have got our country, but are not 
satisfied ; you want to force your religion among us. 

" Brother, — We are told that you have been preach- 
ing to the white people in this place. These people 



68 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

are our neighbours. We are acquainted with them. 
We will wait a Httle while, and see what effect your 
preaching has upon them. If we find it does them 
good, makes them honest, and less disposed to cheat 
Indians, we v/ill then consider again of what you 
have said." 

} Papa related, among many interesting stories of 
this cunning chief, the following anecdote. On a 
certain time, an agent from the United States' gov- 
ernment went to treat with the Seneca Indians for 
the purchase of more of their lands. Red Jacket, 
being the most influential of their chiefs, was ap- 
pointed to converse with the agent on the subject. 
The tv/o walked out together into the fields, and sat 
down upon a log. Red Jacket asked the agent to 
move ; this being done, he again crowded upon the 
other, who, supposing it unintended, still kept moving 
until he was quite at the end of the log. Red 
Jacket again asked him to move ; " Why," said the 
Rgent, " you see I have no more room to move in." 
The shrewd Indian laughed — " This," said he, " is 
just what you white men have been doing with us. 
You have asked us for more room ; we have moved 
till we are at the end of the log, and you now want 
to push us off." 

The Sabbath that we passed at Buffalo was a 
pleasant yet mournful day to me. It was pleasant, 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 69 

because I attended public worship, and saw around 
me an appearance of deep interest on the subject of 
religion ; but it was new to me to go to the house 
of God unaccompanied by my mother and sister, 
and I could not but feel a sense of lonehness ; but 
then I thought that you too were then about offering 
up prayers to the same Omniscient Being whom I 
had come to worship, and that we were all in His 
presence — I felt how unworthy of a Christian it is 
to suffer thoughts of earthly friends to mingle in the 
sacrifice of the heart which is offered to Him. 
" My son, give me thy heart," is the affectionate in- 
vitation of our Creator, and might he not well be 
displeased, when we feel that we need any other 
support than His presence, and the influence of His 
spirit, especially in his own temple? 

My sweet little friend Jane Stimpson begged of 
her mother the privilege of spending the Sabbath 
with me, as the other members of her family were 
going to ride out a few miles, and dine with an ac- 
quaintance. I endeavoured so to pass the intervals 
of public worship that the dear little girl might lay 
up something good for her future meditation ; and 
papa spent considerable time with us in reading and 
explaining the Scriptures. You know, Louisa, how 
interesting he always renders such seasons, by fa- 
miliar illustrations and lively examples, which seem 



70 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

to raise vivid pictures in the mind, that often remain 
deep and lasting. Jane listened with earnest atten- 
tion, and expressed her concern lest the vanities of 
the world should lead her thoughts from the import- 
ant concerns of her soul's welfare. Papa spoke to 
her with great kindness, directing her to trust in Him 
in whom " none ever believed and was contounded." 
I have become acquainted with some very pleas- 
ant families. The best part of the society appear 
to be mostly emigrants from New-England. I 
have met with several persons here who are ac- 
quainted with our friends in Hartford and Boston. 
One aged lady, whose daughter we visited, spoke of 
my grandmother Clayton as a friend and companion 
of her youth : she described her as one of the most 
gentle and pious of women ; she remembered mam- 
ma when an infant, and thought me much like her 
at my age — a compliment with which I assure you 
I was not a little pleased. The daughter of this 
lady knows our aunt Harriet Clayton ; she says she 
is a highly cultivated, as well as a very lovely wo- 
man : she tells me, too, that she is an author ; but 
this, it seems, is a secret, or at least if mamma knows 
it, she has never mentioned the subject to me. Well, 
tliere is no knowing what may happen when I arrive 
at the seat of the muses ; I should be very willing 
the contagion of the cacoethes scribendi should 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. Tl 

seize me, provided it should appear under a mild 
form, and not lead me into those extravagances of 
conduct and sentiment which have been exhibited 
by some female writers. How would this appear, 
Louisa, after the title of a book, — " By Caroline 

Westerley, Author of , <^'C. ^-c. ?" And 

then for a frontispiece, a handsome engraving of 
the ''^amiable mt/Aoress," as gentlemen often conde- 
scendingly say, when they speak of lady authors, of 
whose private characters they are entirely ignorant. 
But, however desirous I may feel to become capable 
of doing something for female literature in my own 
country, I am not so vain as seriously to expect ity 
notwithstanding some prophetic visions which occa- 
sionally flit across my mind's eye. And yet I am 
now on my way to New-England, a land wliich has 
proved highly favourable to the development of the 
female mind. I shall wander over the same fields, 
and gaze upon the same scenery, which have 
prompted the sweet muse of Mrs. Sigourney. I 
shall visit the hills and groves, and the moss-covered 
rocks, where, long before she was of my age, Mrs. 
Willard meditated those plans of im.proving the 
mental condition of her sex, which she has since so 
successfully carried into operation ; I shall pluck 
the wild flowers from the same turf where her sister 
whos"e v/ork on botany we have loved to read, ^a{ in 



72 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

her girlish days, and mused upon the glimpses of 
future usefulness and mental illumination which, un- 
likely as she then felt were ever to be realized, still 
at times visited her imagination. Here too the 
strong and original mind of Miss Beecher pursued 
its powerful cuiTent, and in its overflowings enriched 
and fertilized the intellectual faculties of her sex, 
elevated their emotions, and strengthened their moral 
powers. If some useless rubbish or offensive mat- 
ter has been drifted along in this current, and formed 
some alloy to its benefits, the evil is but slight, and 
when prejudice and partiality shall have both died 
away, the name of Miss Beecher will stand among 
the first of those of her sex who have laboured for 
its improvement. When I visit Massachusetts, I 
am in the region of the Sedgwicks, of Mrs. Hale, 
Mrs. Childs, Mrs. Wells, Mrs. Ware, and many 
other living female writers, who perhaps in early 
youth were as little likely to become distinguished 
as is Caroline Westerley at this day. Louisa, do 
not think me vain in these suggestions of my own 
mind — it is right they should be encouraged ; the 
talents that God has given us should be improved ; 
and a conscientious desire to do this will stimulate 
us to exertion ; this is very different from the feverish 
ambition which desires distinction merely as such. 
When the apostle said, " God forbid that I should 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 73 

glory save in the cross of Christ," he intimates tha^ 
it is right to glory in some things ; and certainly one 
who has successfully laboured to do good ought to 
glory and rejoice in this success. 

We shall leave Buffalo to-morrow. You will not 
fail to recollect, that this place was burnt by the 
British in the late war ; by referring to your American 
History, you will find that this took place in Decem- 
ber, 1813, a few months before the battles of Chip- 
pewa and Bridgewater, scenes which I shedl soon 
visit, till after which, adieu. 

Caroline. 



LETTER III. 

Manchester Village, 
Niagara Falls, July — , 1832- 
My dear Sister, 
I have seen that wonder of nature, the Falls of 
Niagara ; but you cannot be privileged to hear about 
them, until I have taken you back to Buffalo, and 
carried you in imagination with me from that place 
to this ; and, indeed, until you have been presented 
with some gloomy scenes of waj and bloodshed. 
If you examined a map in connexion with my 

Q 



74 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

description of Buffalo, you have now a clear idea of 
its geographical position. You probably know, too, 
that that village is situated at the western extremity 
of the Great Western Canal of New- York. This 
canal proceeds along the bank of Niagara River for 
a few miles, when it enters at the mouth of a small 
branch of this river, called Tonewanta Creek. After 
being continued several miles in the channel of the 
Tonewanta, the canal navigation proceeds to Lock- 
port, nearly eight miles farther, by means of a deep 
cut. Travellers for pleasure or improvement sel- 
dom take the canal-boats at Buffalo, as there are so 
many objects of interest in the route by land from 
that place to Lockport. 

The Stimpsons, however, are to travel to Sche- 
nectady entirely on the canal. Mrs. Stimpson 
appeared somewhat offended that she and her daugh- 
ters were not included in the attentions we received 
at Buffalo, " since," as she said, " we were all of one 
party. ^^ But she comforted herself with the idea, 
that, after all, people who were as ignorant of the 
world as the inhabitants of that place undoubtedly 
were, could not be expected to understand matters 
of etiquette. As she presumed the genteel company 
had all left the " Falls," and was tired of climbing 
rocks to look after fine views, when she might see 
the same in a print-shop in Broadway, she decided 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 75 

that they would travel on the canal, and was 
fortunate enough, even in that outlandish place, to 
find some of the last works of the author of Pelham, 
to amuse herself and Miss Angehne during the 
route. Jane, to whom I had every day become 
more and more attached, was grieved at our separa- 
tion ; as she had during our stay at Buffalo requested 
me to give her some instruction in botany, and had 
learned to analyze the most simple flowers. I pre- 
sented her with a book which will amuse her in her 
journey, and by the assistance of which she will be 
able to improve herself in the science. She assured 
me that she should study it attentively, and when- 
ever she should be able to jump out of the canal- 
boat for a few minutes, she would, if flowers could 
be found, collect botanical specimens for herself and 
me. She also promised to write me an account of 
her journey home, and of the interesting objects she 
might meet with. Mrs. Stimpson gave us, at part- 
ing, her card with her address in New-York, and 
insisted upon our giving her notice, as soon as we 
should arrive in that city. With Miss Angeline, who 
was not, like her mother, schooled to duplicity, I was 
evidently no favourite ; although she never after our 
first meeting assumed to treat me rudely. But my 
undissembled preference of her sister, and uniform 



76 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

rejection of her proffered intimacy, were not calcu- 
lated to render me agreeable to her. 

The characters of Mrs. Stimpson and her eldest 
daughter, papa says, are common among those who 
hold a sort of middle rank in fashionable society, 
and are aiming at the highest ; but I am sure that 
among people of real elevation, such artificial man- 
ners and low views of persons and things do not 
exist. As a contrast to them, I would mention the late 
Mrs. Porter of Black Rock, whom mamma always 
speaks of with so much affection. Papa says, that 
when her husband, Gen. Porter, was Secretary of 
War, and she of course obliged to be very con- 
spicuous in society, no lady at Washington was so 
much admired by foreigners of distinction, and by 
the most distinguished Americans, as Mrs. Porter. 
And yet she was remarkable for simplicity of man- 
ners, dress, and sentiment. She paid respect to 
merit, even when seen in an unfashionable garb, 
and delighted rather to raise the humble than pay 
court to the great. I was told at Buffalo, that after 
her return from Washington, where she had been the 
admiration of foreigners, and pride of American 
society, she appeared exactly the same social, unpre- 
tending woman, always anxious to do good to others, 
even at the expense of her own ease. A young 
lady, whose mother was an intimate friend of Mrs. 



CAROLINE VVESTEr.LEy. 77 

Porter, told me she had often known of her walking 
a mile or two in inclement weather to visit a family 
in distress ; or if she wanted at any time, for objects 
of business or charity, to go into the village of 
Buffalo when her own carriage was not at hand, she 
would not hesitate to take a seat in the most common 
farmer's wagon. But under whatever circumstances 
Mrs. Porter might be seen, and whatever her dress 
or equipage might be, she was ever looked up to by 
all classes with respect and honour. 

Such a character, my dear sister, is one whom I 
should wish to have before me as a model ; and 
such a model we have in that beloved parent who 
has so cheerfully devoted to us talents and acquire- 
ments which have distinguished her in the most dis- 
tinguished circles. Although we can neither of us 
ever expect to be what she is, we will at least en- 
deavour to resemble her in some degree. 

On leaving Buffalo, we proceeded to Black Rock 
village, three miles distant, and situated upon the 
west bank of Niagara River, or near the place 
whence this river issues from Lake Erie. This 
place derives its name from the rock formation on 
which it stands. I find my little knowledge of ge- 
ology to acquire a new value in travelling ; and am 
happy in the thought, that you, my dear sister, will 
not consider information of this nature useless or 
G 2 



78 CAROLINE WESTERLET. 

uninteresting, and that you already understand 
enough of the science to comprehend all that I shall 
be able to tell you. Being provided with Eaton's 
*' Geological Survey of the Canal Rocks," I intend, 
with the help of it and papa's instructions, to notice, 
as far as possible, the different kinds of rocks which 
I shall have an opportunity of examining on my way 
to the Hudson River. 

Eaton calls the formation which prevails at the 
village of Black Rock cornitiferoiis lime rock. This 
belongs to the secondary formation, and is a variety 
of the species of rock called secondary limestone. 
The word cornitiferous is derived from the Latin 
cornus, signifying horn, and ferre, to bear. You will 
recollect the mineral in our little cabinet at home 
called hornstone, from its resemblance in hardness 
and colour to some kinds of horn. Layers of this 
alternating with shell-lime rock are very common at 
Black Rock, and being here of a very dark colour, 
give to the whole mass a black appearance. 

Thus, you see, cornitiferous lime rock, meaning 
lime rock which bears or supports homstone, is a sig- 
nificant term, which at once suggests an important 
circumstance connected with the rock. This rock, 
says Eaton, "underlays the whole village, except 
that in a few instances it is covered with pyritiferom 
rock," or that which bears pyrites* 



CAROLINE WESTERLET. 79 

I must again refer you to our cabinet, for the 
minerals called jyyrites. These are ores of different 
kinds, possessing a metallic lustre, and containing a 
large quantity of sulphur. They are generally labelled 
in cabinets as sulphureis ; as the sulphuret of iron, 
lead, copper, &c. Iron pyrites is very common ; 
it resembles gold in its glistening and bright yellow 
colour ; Professor Silliman, in some of his works, 
remarks, that it has been often mistaken by ignorant 
persons for this metal. I have found some petri- 
factions of shells covered with iron pyrites, which 
James will perhaps call golden clams, as the servant 
girl did, who, in arranging my room to-day, found 
them lying upon the table. In some cases, many 
small shells are found petrified in one mass and en- 
veloped in the iron pyrites. 

We spent one day at Black Rock village, and in 
making excursions about it. The village is incon- 
siderable, and at present much less flourishing than 
it has been. Great efforts were made to render this 
place the terminating point of the Grand Canal ; 
had these succeeded, Black Rock would at once 
have taken precedence of Buffalo ; at present, the 
former place is depreciating, and the latter fast rising 
in importance. 

The residence of Gen. Porter, at Black Rock, 
stands on an elevation about one hundred rods from 



80 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

the Niagara River. The house has two fronts, one 
towards the street from which it is separated by a 
large court-yard ; the west front is towards the river. 
The court-yard is handsomely ornamented with trees 
and shrubbery: under the shade of one of these 
trees, where she once loved to walk and converse 
with her friends, now repose the remains of the late 
accomphshed mistress of the mansion. Her garden 
lay upon the opposite or western side, sloping 
gradually towards the water. We were there shown 
many evidences of fine taste, though decay and dis- 
order had already begun to triumph, in the absence 
of her who had been the presiding genius of the scene. 
In this garden lies a marble slab \Aith a Hebrew iiv 
scription, prepared by the direction of Mr. Noah of 
New- York, who, a few years since, formed a project 
of collecting liis dispersed countrymen the Jews 
upon Grand Island, and of building there a second 
Jerusalem ; but as I am not an adept in Hebrew 
literature, I cannot tell you its purport. 

Grand Island, Avhich was to be named IMount 
Arrarat, is twelve miles long, and eight broad ; it is 
situated in the Niagara River, a little to the south of 
Black Rock village, and is still desolate, notwith- 
standing Mr. Noah's splendid plans respecting it. 
This island was formerly a favourite haunt of the 
Indians. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 81 

From Black Rock we crossed the river in a horse- 
boat to the Canada side ; where I found myself for 
the first time in his majesty's dominions. The Httle 
village at which we landed is called Waterloo, after 
the name of the place of Bonaparte's last defeat. 
A little above this village are the remains of Fort 
Erie. By referring to the history of the last war 
with England, you will find several notices of events 
connected with this fort. 

You will recollect, that the Canada frontier was 
the principal seat of this war, which began by the 
unsuccessful attempts of Gen. Hull to reduce this 
province to submission. After the disgraceful sur- 
render of Hull and his army, at Detroit, the scene 
of military operations changed to the Niagara fron- 
tier. In October, 1812, the Americans having no 
armed vessels on Lake Erie, Captain Elliot, a very 
brave man, with 100 soldiers, crossed the Niagara 
from Black Rock, and took two British vessels from 
under the very guns of Fort Erie, which were put 
in action to resist the bold attempt. 
} About a month after these vessels were taken, 
the Americans made an attack upon some batteries 
on the bank of the river opposite Black Rock, and 
although they suffered a severe loss of lives, suc- 
ceeded in dispersing the enemy intrenched there, 
and destroying their fortifications. How many 



82 CAROLINE -VVESTERLEY. 

solemn reflections crowded upon my mind while 
standing on this spot, where so many brave men had 
met death, leaving childless mothers, and widows 
and orphans to regiet with unavailing sorrow the 
cruel necessity which thus led their husbands and 
fathers before the cannon's mouth. 

Fort Erie was taken by the Americans a few 
months after the destruction of the British fortifica- 
tions opposite Black Rock. In the autumn of the 
same year (1813) occurred the famous naval battle 
in which Perry was victorious. It was then for the 
first time that the waters of Lake Erie were crim- 
soned with the blood of contending foes. The 
American fleet under Commodore Perry had been 
wholly formed within a few months. The com- 
mander was young and inexperienced, while the 
British commodore, Barclay, was a veteran and 
tried officer. The engagement was desperate and 
bloody. The flag-ship of Commodore Perry, called 
the Lawrence, becoming unfit for further service, 
that gallant young officer embarked in an open boat 
amid the balls which were showered upon him 
from the enemy, and succeeded in gaining another 
of his vessels, the Niagara, in which, after planting 
the American standard, he recommenced an attack 
upon the enemy. After an action of some hours, 
the whole British force, consisting of six vessels, 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 83 

surrendered. The modest, but striking language of 
Perry, when communicating to his superior officer 
an account of this engagement, was, " We have 
met the enemy, and they are ours." 

This victory gave to our countrymen the com- 
mand of the lake, and the territories on its borders, j 
and the American general, Harrison, immediately 
proceeded towards Detroit, which Hull had aban- 
doned to the British. He found no difficulty in re- 
taking this place, as the British general, Proctor, had 
with his army retreated on the approach of the 
Americans. The latter however, pursued, and a 
general engagement of the two forces took place on 
the banks of the River Thames, a stream which 
empties into Lake St. Clair, upon its northern side. 
The British army was composed in part of Indians, 
commanded by the celebrated warrior Tecumseh. 
This chief being killed, his followers fled in dismay, 
and a general confusion of the whole British force 
followed. 

You will begin to think, Louisa, that I shall never 
take you to the falls, as I find so much to divert me 
from pursuing our journey. But I hope you will 
feel as I do with respect to the importance of con- 
necting improvement with pleasure. The events 
which I have just related were made subjects of 
conversation between papa and myself, either at the 



84 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

places where tliis occurred, or as being in some de- 
gree associated with them. These events, did 
indeed, occur before you and I were born, but they 
are intimately connected with the history of our 
country ; and while I am upon the very ground made 
classic by historical associations, I feel that I should 
be wanting both in duty to myself and you, not to 
improve the opportunity of rendering these associa- 
tions in some degree permanent. 

I fancy you, on the arrival of my letters, as seat- 
ing yourself by mamma's side, with my little brother 
at your elbow, and reading with interest my com- 
munications to your attentive audience. James is 
yet too young to understand much of either natural 
or civil history ; but for his sister Caroline's sake he 
will no doubt try to remember and understand as 
much as possible of what she writes. You, Louisa, 
will I hope point out to him the situation of the 
places that I mention ; and as he has made consider- 
able progress in geography, this will be a favourable 
opportunity for leading him to realize, that the lakes, 
rivers, and towns which he sees and studies about 
on his maps are not merely ivordsy hut places actually 
existing, as much as the silvery lake, the murmuring 
stream, and the dear fireside at Pleasant Valley. 
He knows that his sister is a real being, and that the 
words which he sees were written by her own hand ; 



CAROLINE WESTERLET. $5 

and when he reads of her standing upon battle- 
grounds, the ruins of forts, and especially of her seeing 
with her own eyes the grand Falls of Niagara, and 
listening with her own ears to their awful thunder, 
he will not only believe, but feel, that there are yet 
many things in existence which have not been mani- 
fested to his senses. I can well remember, when 
it seemed to me as if Pleasant Valley and the objects 
it contains were all the real existences in the world, 
and that the places, persons, and events of which I 
heard and read, were mere shadows and fables. 
But adieu for the present. 

Caroline. 



LETTER IV. 

Manchester Village, 
Niagara Falls, July — , 1832. 
My DEAR Sister, 
In my last letter I left you at Waterloo, opposite 
Black Rock. From that place, you know, we made 
some historical digressions, which carried us to Fort 
Erie, up the lake to the scene of the great naval en- 
gagement, and then with General Hairison and his 



8# CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

army we went up the Detroit River to the village of 
Detroit, and crossing Lake St. Clair, landed on the 
banks of the Thames, where we saw the American 
army victorious over General Proctor and his Indian 
aUies. I believe I forgot to tell you, that after this 
General Harrison returned and took up his quarters 
at Buffalo. 

After a few hours spent in the little village of Wa- 
terloo, we took our carriage and proceeded onwards. 
The distance between Black Rock and the Niagara 
Falls is estimated at nineteen miles. You will 
recollect that we have now crossed the river, and are 
travelling on the Canada side. A few miles before 
reaching the falls, we arrived at the Chippewa battle- 
ground^ where we stopped for a short time, and at 
which place papa gave me the following sketch of his- 
torical events connected with it. 

" It was on the 5th of July, 1814," said he, " that 
at this very place was fought a bloody battle between 
the English and Americans. The war between the 
two nations commenced about two years previous, 
and many engagements both on land and sea had 
ensued. The British forces, weakened by many 
losses, had just received reinforcements from the 
victorious troops of Wellington, fresh from their 
conquests over the army of Napoleon in Spain. 
The idea was cherished that no sooner would the 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 87 

undisciplined Americans see such soldiers before 
them than they would at once fly from their presence. 
General Brown at this time was at Fort Erie ; un- 
der him were Generals Scott and Ripley, of the 
United States' army, and General Porter with a body 
of brave volunteers. 

" General Scott with his force left Fort Erie on the 
morning of the 4th, or the anniversary of our Inde- 
pendence- He advanced along the west bank of 
the Niagara to a small brook about a mile and a 
half distant from the enemy, where he waited the 
arrival of the other troops. Generals Brown and 
Porter joined him in the course of the day. 

" The British commander. Gen. Riall, with his 
force, was stationed at the mouth of the Chippewa, 
which is the dark and turbid-looking stream before 
us. After several severe skirmishes between flying 
parties from both camps, it was perceived by Gen. 
Brown that the whole body of the British were 
advancing upon him. He had made such a dispo- 
sition of his ti'oops, that Scott with his brigade 
received the enemy's charge, and although his force 
was far less than that of the British, he not only 
sustained himself, but, compelling the enemy to give 
way, pursued them until their ranks being thrown 
into disorder they fled in the utmost confusion. 

■*' This was a bloody conflict. Dead bodies were 



88 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

piled upon each other ; and the dying in seeking 
consolation could only behold the ghastly features 
of their companions or their foes, either in the ago- 
nies of death or cold beneath its grasp. 

" Yes, Carohne," continued papa, " such are the 
scenes which these peaceful plains have witnessed. 
All now is repose, the cattle graze quietly upon the 
turf which has pillowed the brave soldier in his last 
struggles with death; the gentle murmur of the 
stream is no longer drowned in the clangour of mar- 
tial music, and the wild flowers lift up their heads 
fearless of being trodden down by the hostile foot of 
man." 

As he spoke I perceived under a clump of de- 
caying trees a little cluster of white violets, while 
near by was a wild rose-bush with its pale pink blos- 
soms, and I thought of Mrs. Hemans's beautiful 
lines— 

"Bring flowers, pale flowers, o'er the bier to shed, 
A crown for the brow of the early dead ! 
For this through its leaves has the wild rose burst, 
For this in the woods was the violet nurs'd ; ', 
Though they smile in vain for what once was ours, 
They are love's last gift — bring flowers, pale flowers." 

I have preserved a specimen of the violet, which 
I find to be the viola canadensis. I do not recollect 
of having seen it before. It may be from associa- 
tions with the place where it grew, but it seems to 



CAROLINE WE3TERLEV. 89 

wear a peculiarly pensive air. The rose is of that 
species called the parvifora, of which we have so 
often delighted to wreathe garlands with geranium 
leaves ; but I shall never see tliis flower again with- 
out a sigh to the memory of the brave who met death 
on Chippewa battle-ground. 

Louisa, I fear you are tired of hearing about bat- 
tles, and yet I must not fail to tell you that at a little 
distance from the theatre of the events which I have 
just related is another celebrated battle ground. 
This is called Lundy's Lane, though the battle 
fought here is usually termed that of Bridgewater. 
This took place tv/enty days after the action of 
Chippewa, and was even more bloody and terrible 
than that. 

What rendered the battle of Bridgewater pecu- 
liarly terriiic was the circumstance of its being 
continued until the night was far advanced. In the 
darkness and confusion of the scene, the Americans, 
although aware that the enemy was coming upon 
them, knew not from what quarter. The shrieks 
and groans of the wounded and dying, the discharge 
of guns, and the roaring of the Niagara were all 
mingled with the rushing movements of the attacking 
foe. The American general, Ripley, with his brig- 
ade, was in this exposed situation. He directed his 
men to stand in their places and wait until the ene- 
H2 



90 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

my's bayonets touched their own, and then to take 
aim in firing from the hght of their guns. The 
British stood this fire for twenty minutes, and then 
retreated. The same scene of carnage took place 
four times on that dreadful night, and as often the 
British were repulsed. 

The loss of the British amounted to about nine 
hundred ; that of the Americans was nearly as great. 
The brave Generals Brown and Scott were both 
wounded. 

When standing on the very ground which had 
been reddened by the blood of so many brave men, 
and seeking for some memorial of the spot, I saw 
some flowers of the plant sometimes called love-lieS' 
bleeding ; and known in botany as the Amaranthus 
melancholicus. As I plucked a few of its dark red 
blossoms, I could almost fancy they had been tinged 
with the blood of heroes. Fanciful as the idea may 
seem, yet science teaches us that the very elements 
which compose the human frame do, upon its decay, 
enter into the soil, and thus become parts of the 
plants which spring from the earth that covers the 
remains of mortals. With what a new feeling of 
sacredness does this thought invest the flowers which 
we pluck from the tombs of those we love — they 
have been nourished by the very substance which 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 91 

once made a part of those earthly forms so dear to 
our hearts ! 

Do you recollect the lamentation of O'Conner's 
child over her lover's tomb, by Campbell, in which 
the flower I have just mentioned is alluded to ? 

" A hero's bride ! this desert bower, 
It ill befits thy gentle breeding ; 
And wherefore dost thou love this flower 
To call, ' My love-lies-bleeding ?' 
This purple flower my tears have nursed ; 
A hero's blood supphed its bloom : 
I love it, for it was the first 
That grew on Connocht Moran's tomb. 
No^ would I change my buried love 
For any heart of living mould. 
No, for I am a hero's child — 
rU hunt my quarry in the wild ; 
And still my home this mansion make. 
Of all unheeded and unheeding, 
Ajid cherish, for my warrior's sake, 
The flower of ' love-hes-bleeding.' " 

My next letter, Louisa, shall not be of gloomy 
battles, but of that grand work of nature which pro- 
claims to the eye and ear the power of Him by 
whose word awful precipices are formed and the 
multitude of waters hurried on to dash and foam 
over their terrific brows. Adieu. 

Your ever affectionate 

Caroline. 



92 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 



LETTER V. 

Manchester Village, 
Niagara Falls, July—, 1832. 

" The thoughts are strange that crowd into my brain, 
While I look upwards to thee. It would seem 
As if God pour'd thee from his ' hollow hand' 
And hung his bow upon thy awful front ; 
And spoke in that loud voice, which seem'd to him 
Who dwelt in Patmos for his Saviour's sake, 
' The sound of many waters,' and had bade 
Thy flood to chronicle the ages back. 
And notch His ccnt'ries in the eternal rocks. 

Deep calleth unto deep. And what are we. 
That hear the question of that voice sublime ? 
Oh ! what are all the notes that ever rang 
From war's vain trumpet, by thy thundering side ? 
Yea, what is all the riot man can make 
In his short hfe to thy unceasing roar ? 
And yet, bold babbler, what art thou to Him 
Who drown'd a w^orld, and heap'd the waters far 
Above its loftiest mountains ? — a light wave 
That breaks, and whispers of its Maker's might." 

These lines of the poet Brainard, my dear Louisa, 
are the natural effusions of the heart of one capable 
of sublime emotions, when beholding that awful 
<;ataract which surpasses all others in grandeur. 

The sensibilities of my heart had been powerfully 



CAROLINE WESTERLET. 93 

awakened by what I had just heard of the dreadful 
scenes of Chippewa and Bridgewater, and the roar- 
ing of the Falls, which, now becoming distinct, 
appeared like the sound of distant thunder, served 
to heighten my emotions. I was all eye and ear ; 
every moment expecting the grand view to burst 
upon me. The first indications of being near the 
Falls which met my eye were the sight of light 
fleecy clouds of vapour suspended in the atmo- 
sphere ; soon after this the rambow burst upon me ; 
this, as the weather and situation of the sun were 
favourable, was peculiarly brilliant. 

Approaching the Falls in the direction which we 
did, the cataract was not visible until we had passed 
the rapids above them. These rapids, in any other 
situation than adjacent to Niagara Falls, would be 
considered among the most sublime scenes in the 
natural world. And indeed much as my senses 
have been since overwhelmed by the grandeur of 
the cataract, I cannot cease regarding the view of 
the river above with admiration mingled with awe. 
The appearance of the river at the rapids seems to 
resemble that of a human mind, about to perform 
some deed of terrible daring, to which it feels itself 
impelled by powerful emotions, while the whole soul 
is agitated, tossed to and fro, and vibrating with tre- 
mendous force. And thus would the imagination 



94 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

paint Niagara — as if lashing itself into fury and 
madness in consciousness of the awful plunge which 
it is about to make. It is impossible to look on the 
scenes which everywhere surround this spot without 
strong emotions ; and the longer I remain here the 
more sensitive I become to its peculiar features. A 
mind predisposed to insanity would, I think, find in 
this region too powerful and dangerous an ex- 
citement. 

Before alighting fiom our carriage we rode to a 
spot where the Falls themselves appeared in all their 
sublimity. For many minutes we remained in silent 
contemplation of the scene ; I almost feared to 
breathe, lest I should break the delightful spell which 
seemed to bind my spirit in subjection to the scene 
before me. And when papa directed the coachman 
to drive to the hotel, I felt as if it was almost pro- 
fanation to mingle thoughts of common things with 
such a vision. 

When I have since visited the Falls in company 
with strangers viewing them for the first time, I have 
been astonished to hear them loud in their expres- 
sions of wonder or admiration. " How beautiful !" 
"How pretty!" "Wonderful!" "Astonishingly 
sublime !" Such are some of the exclamations 
which I have often heard on such occasions. Why 
is it, Louisa, that people should be so differently 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 95 

affected by the same object or the same emotions ? 
Sublimity, deep sorrow, or great joy always incline 
me to silence. Many of the works of God are so 
great as to be entirely beyond our powers of de- 
scription, and they excite in us emotions of so pow- 
erful a kind as no language can convey to the minds 
of others ; on such occasions, it would seem that 
we should, with Milton, exclaim, 

" Come then, expressive silence, muse His praise !" 
Papa, to whom I remarked my surprise at seeing 
the different manner in which people are affected by 
subhme scenery, observed, " This difference among 
people is in part owing to nature, but more to cul- 
tivation ; the state most unfavourable to high and 
elevated emotions is that where fashion or habit of 
any kind has been suffered to take the place of na- 
ture in the mind. Thus, when one has servilely 
adopted the manners and habits of thought of another 
person, or of any set of persons, every thing in him 
will be artificial, — nature is no longer allowed her 
proper influence, and the whole being seems per- 
verted. The savage in his rude state gives way to 
the influence of his emotions. On beholding any 
thing grand in nature or art, he is absorbed by the 
feelings which arise within him ; and these are far 
from leading him to vent himself in a torrent of ex- 
pressions. 



96 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

" A poetic mind, unshackled by the low desire of 
seeming to be something which one is not, fearlessly 
follows the dictates of nature. Under the influence 
of some emotions it would be silent, under that of 
others it might be led to express itself in appropriate 
words, the transcripts of the thoughts. 

" But it is very natural for those who have never 
cultivated a taste for the sublime and beautiful in 
nature to affect lively emotions ; and in doing this 
they usually go beyond the mark, and so over-act as 
to render the real coldness of their hearts apparent. 
Thus we see husbands and wives, brothers and sis- 
ters, and other relations, where a real affection for 
each other is wanting, sometimes affect excessive 
fondness ; but where the reality exists there is never 
felt a necessity for affectation. Thus the real scholar 
is never a pedant, or the real Christian a loud and 
Pharisaical professor." 

After viewing the Falls attentively from the Can- 
ada side at every interesting point, having inscribed 
our names, by request, in an album kept at the 
hotel, we passed a few hours very pleasantly in com- 
pany with some agreeable travellers, and especially 
promenading in a delightful veranda which gives 
a fine view of the Falls, we passed over to the 
American side, where we have taken lodgings. 

It seems astonishing that a few rods below the 



CAROLINE WESTERLET. 97 

Falls, the river should be so quiet that a little skiff 
can navigate its waters. At first I felt some alarm, 
but as our little bark floated along towards the mid- 
dle of the river, my attention was fixed upon the Falls 
above, and a new feeling of delight came over me. 
Where there are so many fine points of view it is 
difficult to give a preference to any one ; yet in no 
situation did I behold the Falls with more interest than 
when passing the river below them ; and should you, 
Louisa, ever come to Niagara (as I hope you will 
within a year or two), you must not fail to cross the 
river at this place. 

We find very good accommodations here, but our 
hotel is deficient in that fine view of the Falls which 
was afforded by the one on the Canada side. Not- 
withstanding Mrs. Stimpson's fears that she should 
find at the Falls no " genteel" company, I have met 
with several very agreeable parties. I am however 
surprised to observe the little interest in the scenery 
which is shown by many travellers, who, after coming 
a long journey with the professed object of seeing 
Niagara, content themselves with a very superficial 
observation of its wonders, spending their fime in 
dressing, reading novels, playing at chess or back- 
gammon, or in an occasional ride. 

Many ladies come here unprovided with dresses 
suitable fbr visiting the Falls. I know not what I 
I 



98 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

should have done without the leather shoes and the 
thick cloak with which mamma provided me ; for I 
have run about the rocks and climbed precipices, 
lingered at the Falls after sunset, and visited them 
before sunrise, in order to catch all the variety of 
their aspects. I assure you that prunella shoes 
would have but poorly guarded my feet against the 
rough sharp stones, and that without a thick cloak 
my clothes would often and often have been wet 
through. 

Some English ladies of distinction have been 
staying at the same house with us. You have no 
idea, Louisa, how hardy they are, and how much 
they inure themselves to fatigue. With all my ac- 
tivity and heroism, I have been forced to acknow- 
ledge myself far inferior to them in these respects. 
They have been, very kind and attentive to me ; I 
cannot see in their manners any thing of that hauteur 
which v»e are apt to ascribe to the English. Papa 
says, it is not the better class of that nation who put 
on airs over the Americans, for they know by the 
events of past years how to respect us as a people ; 
and besides, as he justly remarks, a person of real 
elevation of character does not consider it necessary 
to assume an appearance of consequence or dignity. 
This English party consists of Mr. Perceval, a mem- 
ber of the British Parliament, his wife, and two young 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 99 

ladies, the one an adopted daughter, the other a 
niece of Mrs. P. They have been visiting Quebec 
and Montreal, and are intending to spend some 
time in traveihng in the United States, before em- 
barking for England. The young ladies are in 
some respects highly educated ; they read with great 
elegance. I beUeve elocution is studied much 
more among the females in England than with us ; 
as also liistory and the writings of the best poets. 
Such studies naturally produce an elegant style of 
conversation, and a handsome address. I have felt 
in the society of these young ladies their advan- 
tages over me in these particulars ; but in some very 
common things, I have been surprised to find them 
ignorant. 

They certainly know much less of the geography 
of America than we do of Europe, or even of Asia 
and Africa : for instance, one of the young ladies, the 
other day, spoke of the Andes as being in New- 
England, and of Charlestown as on the Hudson 
River ; the greater part of America, she thought, was 
still a wilderness, inhabited by savages ; and her 
cousin inquired very gravely, what language was 
generally spoken in Ohio ; she thought I must have 
studied hard, and practised much, in order to speak 
such good English ! I was much amused by hear- 
ing her ask her aunt whether she would be able to 



100 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

find in New-York any shoes that she could wear, 
or if she could get any dresses made decently there. 
These things, Louisa, are not said in contempt, 
but through actual ignorance of the state of im- 
provement in our country ; for they seem disposed 
to be pleased, when they find their expectations sur- 
passed. It is quite evident, they look upon me as a 
prodigy, and they are much astonished that I should 
have been so civiUzed in the western wilderness. 
In conversing with Mrs. P. upon the state of female 
education in Europe, she very candidly said that 
from what she had learned of female education in 
the United States, she believed it superior to that in 
England, or indeed upon the Continent. She ap- 
proved of a course of study which should embrace 
the elements of algebra and geometry, ancient lan- 
guages, and natural science. These, she said, were 
almost unknown in any female school in England, 
though in some cases of private education great 
attainments had been made by ladies. Girls, though 
usually kept a great while at school, often completed 
their term of instruction with little real knowledge. 
Music and drawing, she remarked, usually occupied 
a great share of the time of the higher classes of 
young ladies ; "too much," said she, "m proportion 
to their real value." 

Mrs. P. spoke well of my execution on the piano, 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 101 

akhoiigh I would gladly have excused myself from 
performing in the presence of so good a judge. 
But papa says, that it is undervaluing mamma's in- 
structions, for me to despise my knowledge of music ; 
and he still insists upon being better pleased with 
simple Bonnie Doon, and other Scotch airs, and 
Mrs. Hemans's and Bishop Heber's songs, than the 
Italian music which the Misses Perceval play with 
so much power of execution. I make no pretensions 
to superior skill in music. I have nothing to lose 
by my performances. 

One afternoon, as papa and I returned from an 
excursion to the Falls, laden with minerals and 
plants, Mrs. Perceval asked me, with an appearance 
of surprise, what I was going to do with those com- 
mon-looking stones and plants. Papa, seeing me a 
little embarrassed for an answer, said, " I have 
taught my children to consider eveiy natural pro- 
duction as interesting, and although I cannot endure 
in a woman an affectation of learning, yet I wish 
that my daughters should be sufficiently versed in 
science to view with attention the changes which 
are now going on in nature, or the evidences which 
everywhere appear of past change." 

" Can you tell me, my dear madam," said papa to 
Mrs. P., " how these petrified shells which I found 
.at the distance of some miles from the river, and 
i2 



102 CAROLINE WESTERLET. 

which are evidently of salt-water origin, could have 
been deposited at that place? Is there not something 
in this worth our attention ] And this piece of rock" 
(taking up a specimen of shell lime rock)^ " you will 
perceive to be in a great measure composed of small 
shells of a particular species, cemented together by 
limestone : is it not a curious operation of nature 
which has thus made of shells a part of the solid 
pavement which now covers the globe 1" 

" I am aware," said Mrs. P., " that men of science 
find in the study of geology an ample field for re- 
search, and a source of amusement. In my own 
country, we have Buckland, Bakewell, and many 
other members of the Royal Geological Society, 
who are celebrated for their acquaintance with rocks, 
and their discoveries of the remains of animals which 
are supposed to have existed before the flood ; but it 
did not once enter my thoughts that a young lady 
could be collecting minerals for scientific purposes. 
I have always been fond of purchasing curiosities, 
both as ornamental to my house and as giving 
pleasure to my young people, but have never learned 
to attach any interest to a piece of a common rock. 
I acknowledge, however," continued Mrs. P., 
" that we often pass by, with indifference, things 
which in themselves are wonderful, merely because 
they are common ; while we consider as 'phenomena 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 103 

such as are strange to us, although the former may 
be equally wonderful. And since you have called 
my attention to the subject, I confess that this rock, 
composed of shells, which I might have seen a hun- 
dred times without noticing, is to me as unaccountable 
a production as the elegant East India madrejpores 
and corals^ which I have purchased at a great ex- 
pense." 

" My dear mamma," said Mary P., " how de- 
lightful it must be to understand so much about the 
common things around us as Miss Westerley does ; 
I am sure this is more useful knowledge than inform- 
ation about the heathen gods and goddesses which 
our governess kept us so long studying about, or 
even the real events of history." 

" A knowledge of history Miss Mary," said papa, 
" is very important to all, and ought to be acquired 
in youth. You do yourself injustice in derogating 
so much from your own attainments, in order to exalt 
those of my daughter ; she is very sensible, I pre- 
sume, of the superior advantages of education which 
in many respects you have enjoyed over her. Still 
there is truth in your remark of the importance of 
knowing something of the natural objects which sur- 
round us, and we never realize this importance more 
than in travelling, especially in such a region as this, 
where the ouly charms are those of nature." 



104 CAROLINE WESTERLET. 

My collection of wild flowers now attracted the 
attention of the young ladies, who, while papa was 
engaged in conversation with Mrs. P., begged me 
to tell them their names and peculiarities. Sitting 
down upon a sofa, and emptying in my lap the con- 
tents of my basket, I took up a bunch of harebells 
(campanula rohmdifoUa), and explained to my atten- 
tive auditors the meaning of the botanical name ; 
telling them that campamda was the name of the 
genus, and signified a little bell, in reference to the 
shape of the corolla or flower blossoms, and rotundi- 
folia signified round leaf, thus campamda roiundifolia 
means the round-leafed bell-jlower. This species, 
you may remember, Louisa, has only the leaves 
round which spring from its roots ; the other leaves, 
feeing long and slender like flax, sometimes give to 
the plant the name of flax bell-flower. These flowers 
I told the young ladies I had found growing in the 
cleft of a rock near the Falls of Niagara, and on this 
account had presei-ved a bunch of them, although 
they were common in Ohio. They said the plant 
was also very common in England, that they had 
often trampled it under foot, without a thought of 
giving it a moment's attention. They now admired 
the symmetry of the corolla, and the correspondence 
of its five divisions to the five stamens, which or- 
gans of the plant they had never before remarked* 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 105 

Then I showed them several kinds of mosses, 
and with a microscope called their attention to the 
different parts of the blossoms : they were much 
pleased to find what they had not before thought of 
viz. that these plants bear flowers. I had also some 
lichens of a bright red and orange colour, which I 
had picked from the barks of some decayed trees, 
but I could say little respecting them, for you know 
these plants are not easy to analyze: the young 
ladies, however, thought it was something to learn 
that they were considered as vegetables, and grow 
from seeds, like other plants. They laughed heartily 
when I produced one or two specimens of mush- 
rooms ; these they said were very common in Eng- 
land, as an article of food, but they thought it a 
singular taste in a young lady, which should induce 
her to gather them for a bouquet. After indulging 
them in their pleasantry, I told them that it was not 
for the intrinsic beauty of the fungus plant that I 
had counted it worthy a place in my basket, but be- 
cause from the little I knew of this curious family 
of vegetables, I regarded them with a sort of admi- 
ration, as having been able to elude the investigation 
of botanists more than almost any other kind of 
plants ; and yet, I observed, from their various 
forms, and many other peculiarities, they have been 
airanged into many different genera and species. 



106 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

But I found one flower very abundant about the 
sides of the rocks near the Falls, which I have never 
seen before. It is of a fine blue colour, having a 
large and showy labiate blossom. I have, carefully 
pressed it, intending as soon as possible to ascertain 
its botanical classification and name. 

Yesterday our English friends went with us, to 
view the Falls at several different points. We first 
descended to the foot of the cataract, by means of 
a staircase which has recently been constructed. 
The descent here, papa said, was about a hundred 
and sixty i'eet ; the young people and the gentlemen 
of the party did not complain much of fatigue, but 
Mrs. P., though a good walker, was obliged to rest 
herself often during the descent, and still more fre- 
quently on our return. The old man at the head of 
the staircase, to whom we gave a shilling as entrance- 
money, told us that people used to descend this 
formidable precipice by means of ladders ; and even 
ladies had sometimes performed this bold achieve- 
ment. This seems almost incredible, for it is no 
small affair to go down even by means of the excel- 
lent accommodations which are now provided. 

But what is the object in going down at all ? I 
imagine you are ready to ask. It is not in my 
power to give you any adequate ideas of the ap- 
pearance of the Falls here, or indeed at any other 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 107 

spot ; but you can imagine something of the sub- 
limity of the scene, when standing at the very foot of 
the cataract, and looking upwards to its awful front. 
The noise here appears truly terrific, the mountains 
above seeming to totter, and the rocks beneath our 
feet to tremble. 

The dashing of the spray is so great here as to 
resemble a shower of rain ; the sides of the preci- 
pice, being constantly moistened, ai*e almost covered 
with vegetation — mosses of various kinds are 
abundant, and among other plants peculiar to such 
a situation were great quantities of the one which 
produced the blue flowers of which I have already 
spoken. The principal rock which composes the 
perpendicular sides of the Niagara River, and also 
that over which the water falls, is called geodiferoits 
lime rock. You can find in our cabinet some beau- 
tiful specimens of this from Lockport, wliich has 
produced some of the finest examples of this rock 
that have ever been found. 

The word geodiferoiis signifies bearing geodes or 
cavities — these cavities are often filled with brilliant 
crystals of dog-tooth spar, selenite, or quartz. It 
also contains a great variety of petrifactions of shells. 
I observed the sides of the Falls to abound in snails 
and fresh- water sliells, many of which still contained 
their living inhabitants. 



108 CAROLINE WESTERLET. 

Eaton states the thickness of the geodiferous 
lime rock to be about seventy feet at the Falls. It 
lies over calciferous slate, a term under which some 
geologists include several varieties of limestone 
rocks. " Calciferous slate," papa said, " is remark- 
able for its tendency to decomposition, and to form 
new productions, by a different combination of its 
elements. It sometimes produces Epsom salts, or 
sulphate of magnesia composed of sulphuric acid 
and magnesia ; also alum, a double salt, which in 
chymistry is called sulphate of alumine and potash ; 
this is composed of sulphuric acid united to alumine, 
and the same acid united to potash ; the two sul- 
phates combined, form alum. Copperas, or sulphate 
of iron, and stalactites of carbonate of lime are said 
to be very common in this rock, and also calctuff, 
which is remarkable for containing the impressions 
of such plants as are still growing around it." 

I have several specimens of calctuff which were 
collected a few miles distant from the Falls. In 
some of these, moss is seen partly turned to stone, 
and partly in its natural state. 

As the geodiferous lime rock is easily broken, 
its fragments are scattered in all directions around 
the Falls, showbig that time has power even to wear 
away the solid foundations of Niagara. It is sup- 
posed these Falls were, many ages since, several 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 109 

miles lower down the river, or nearer to Lake On- 
tario. A traveller remarks, " The banks on both 
sides of the river^ from Queenstown to the present 
situation of the Falls, are solid, perpendicular, rocky 
cliffs, nearly two hundred feet above the surface of 
the river ; and that every part of this distance, which 
is about seven and a half miles, has successively 
been the site of the Falls itself, must be evident to 
any person who will take the trouble to examine it 
throughout the whole length. This river, and par- 
ticularly the part I am now describing, never rises 
above four or five feet higher than it is at present ; 
and although it is impassable on account of its 
violent agitation, yet nothing short of the irresistible 
fury of the Falls itself could have made those lasting 
and immutable impressions which are to be seen 
upon the stupendous mass of rocks throughout the 
whole of this distance ; and for ages to come, they 
will remain as monuments of the great and surpris- 
ing changes this country has undergone." 

This rock, which so easily wears away, is a few 
miles higher covered by the cornitiferous rock which 
I mentioned as abounding at Black Rock — the latter 
is very hard and less easily disintegrated ; therefore, 
when the Falls shall have travelled high enough to 
reach this formation, they will meet with a more 



110 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

formidable obstacle than that now presented bj the 
geodiferous lime rock. 

But really, Louisa, I ought to beg pardon of my 
good friends whom I have so long left at the foot of 
the cataract, deafened by its roar, and exposed to 
its heavy, damp spray, while I have been calmly 
describing rocks, petrifactions, &c. But let me 
hasten to retrieve my error, and take my com- 
panions to the upper light again. Well, here we 
are, and pursuing our way to Goat Island, from 
whence we shall obtain a fine view of the Falls. On 
passing to the farther end of this island, we seem to 
be in the very centre of the uproar ; on our left are 
the turbulent and wild rapids ; before us is Table 
rock, on the Canada side, shelving over and seeming 
at every instant liable to be uptorn, and with the rash 
beings who stand upon its treacherous surface, pre- 
cipitated into the awful chasm below. At our right 
are the American Falls, which we have just contem- 
plated from the foot of the precipice. 

The same traveller (Shultze) whom I have just 
quoted remarks, that when he visited Niagara in 
1807, it was said in the vicinity of the Falls that few 
who had had the hardihood to venture on Goat Island 
had ever returned : he speaks, therefore, of his own 
visit and escape from thence as an almost miracu- 
lous occurrence. I cannot, however, boast of any 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. Ill 

remarkable adventure at tliis place. We walked 
over a comfortable bridge, found upon the island a 
little house for refreshments, with a very attentive 
keeper, who furnished us with some fine peaches 
and lemonade ; he also exhibited for sale many of 
the peculiar curiosities of this region, such as Indian 
moccasins, and wampums of various kmds, petii- 
factions, and many fine mineralogical specimens, and 
shells. We all returned from our excursirn in fine 
spirits, and to-morrow are to go upon the Canada 
side, to view once more before we leave this region 
the grand prospect there aiforded. 

Vv^e shall also visit the celebrated burning spring, 
which is about half a mile south of the Falls, on the 
Canada side. This spring is said to be situated in 
a rock, containing much of ii^on pyrites^ or sulphate 
of iron. The water being decomposed by the iron, 
hydrogen gas is disengaged, and sulphur, being at 
the same time liberated from the pyrites, unites with 
the hydrogen, and forms sulphuretted hydrogen gas. 

This gas, issuing freely from the spring, is received 
into a barrel which is placed over it. The barrel is 
furnished with a tube, through which a stream of the 
gas is emitted. On applying a taper to this tube, the 
gas ignites and burns brilliantly. 

But I must hasten to close my letter. I cannot 
tell you from whence my next may be dated. I 



112 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

shall not be able to write to you any more from Ni- 
agara. 

My dear sister, adieu. 

Caroline. 



LETTER VI. 

Rochester, July — , 1832. 
My dear Louisa, 

We have just arrived at this thriving, bustling 
town, through which papa says he travelled, about 
twenty years since, when it was an uncultivated 'wil- 
derness. It is said to have had a more rapid 
increase than any village in the United States, and 
to be now exceeded in business by no towns in the 
state except Albany and New-York. 

But I must not attempt to describe Rochester, 
until I have with you travelled over the interesting 
places, which we passed in our journey from Ni- 
agara Falls to this village. We left the Falls on 
Monday morning, accompanied by Mr. Perceval and 
his family. After crossing the Niagara, spending 
some hours in taking our farewell view of the Falls, 
going to the burning spring, and witnessing the 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 113 

phenomenon of the natural formation of sulphuretted 
hydrogen gas at that place, visiting the Bridgewater 
battle-ground, of which I have already spoken, we 
dined at Forsyth's (whose house is situated near the 
Falls), and then proceeded on our way to Queens- 
town. This place is in Upper Canada, situated on 
Niagara River at the head of navigation, and opposite 
to Lewistown on the American side. 

About two years before the battles of Chippewa 
and Bridgewater, an unsuccessful attempt was made 
by the Americans under Col. Yan Rensselaer to 
drive the British from their position at Queenslown. 
The shores of the river form here an almost perpen- 
dicular precipice, called the Heights. The Ameri- 
cans made several attempts to cross the river before 
they succeeded, as the current here is usually rough, 
especially in tempestuous weather, such as at that 
time prevailed. On the morning of October 13th, 
1812, part of the American forces had effected a 
landing. Col. Yan Rensselaer, as he stepped from 
his boat upon the British side, received several se- 
vere wounds. He however directed his men to 
proceed to the attack ; and this was done with so 
much courage and effect, that the enemy were driven 
from their post, and fled from the heights in every 
direction. At this time General Brock was seen 
advancing from Fort George (which is situated 
k2 



114 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

below Queenstown at the mouth of the Niagara 
river), with a reinforcement of soldiers. One of the 
American officers, being intimidated at the appear- 
ance of this new force, raised a white flag in token 
of submission. Captain Wool, on whom the com- 
mand devolved after the injury which Van Rensselaer 
had received, indignantly lowered this flag, and 
prepared to meet the enemy. One of his men 
attempting to flee as the British attacking them wuii 
fury had driven the Americans to the verge of the 
precipice, Captain Wool ordered the deserter to be 
shot ; he however instantly returned to his duty, and 
the order was countermanded. The British in their 
turn were now attacked and driven back. General 
Brock, in attempting to rally his men, was mortally 
wounded. 

The Americans had gained possession of the 
heights, and supposed their victory complete, when 
they were attacked by a new force, consisting of one 
thousand British and Chippewa Indians, who had 
followed General Brock from Fort George. The 
Americans, now in danger of being overcome, some 
of the oflicers crossed over to Lewistown to procure 
a reinforcement from the militia who were there : 
but, disgraceful as the fact is, they refused to go, on 
the plea that by the Constitution of the United States, 
the militia could not be required to go out of th© 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 115 

country. Twenty-five hundred men, therefore, re- 
mained on the American side of the river, deaf to the 
entreaties of the regular officers of the army, and 
coldly looking on the slaughter of their brave coun- 
trymen, overpowered by a superior force. Finding 
their countrymen thus deaf to their calls, seven 
hundred Americans surrendered themselves as pris- 
oners of war. Thus were lost the advantages which 
had been hoped from the attempt to gain possession 
of an important post, and command of the navigation 
of Niagara River. 

The British have erected on Queenstown heights 
a noble monument to the memory of General Brock. 
This is so conspicuous as to be seen for many miles 
distant on the American side. 

Our party intended to have taken a steamboat* 
and proceed down Lake Ontario to Oswego, and 
from there down the Genesee River, but as some 
interruption had taken place in the regular running 
of the boats, we concluded to proceed directly to 
Rochester. We crossed to Lewistown in a little 
skiff, and as we were whirling about in the eddies of 
the river under the formidable front of the heights, I 
shuddered to think of the situation of those brave 
Americans who, exposed as we then were, had dared 
to land at Queenstown amid the guns of their 
enemy who were posted on the rocks above. 



116 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

It was not to be expected that our English friends 
would feel as we did, on the subject of this battle ; 
their sympathies were of course with their own coun- 
tiymen. Mr. Perceval spoke of the brave General 
Brock as being much regretted in his own country ; 
he contemplated the monument erected to his mem- 
ory with evident emotion ; he had known him in his 
native land, and felt that the tribute of a tear was due 
to one who had thus nobly fallen in his country's 
service. We all cordially united in the wish that 
the war which gave rise to the sanguinary engage- 
ments on the Niagara frontier might be the last 
between two nations bound to each other by the ties 
of blood, of a common language, and especially by 
the same Christian faith. 

At Lewistown, which is but an inconsiderable place, 
we commenced travelling upon what is called the 
ridge-road. This, papa says, is considered as a 
great natural curiosity. It extends from Lewistown 
on the Niagara to Rochester on the Genesee, a 
distance of eighty-seven miles. What renders this 
road an object of wonder is the very singular cir- 
cumstance, that a ridge of a few rods wide, and ex- 
tending to so great a length, is thrown up by nature, 
as if for the very purpose for which it is used. This 
ridge is composed of sand, which resembles that 
thrown up by the water of lakes upon their beach ; 



CAROLINE WESTERLET. 117 

with this sand are intermixed shells of various kinds, 
such as are now to be found upon the shores of Lake 
Ontario. The Ridge-road preserves a distance of 
from six to ten miles from the present shore of Lake 
Ontario, towards which there is a gradual descent of 
a hundred and thirty feet. The general opinion 
with respect to this ridge is that it was once the shore 
of the lake, and that the waters have gradually re- 
ceded. I heard Judge Porter, of JViagara Falls, 
observe, that he doubted not the country to a con- 
siderable distance around had once been the bed of 
a vast lake. 

I ought, in speaking of the Falls and our visit in 
their neighbourhood, to have told you of the pleasant 
situation occupied by Judge P., and of the polite 
attentions paid us by his amiable family. But I 
have been obliged to omit much that was interesting 
amid the variety of new scenery and new acquaint- 
ances which have engaged my attention ; and yet 
how much I have already scribbled to you since I 
left home ! By the time I get to New-York, at this 
rate, I shall have written a volume. Do not think, 
however, my dear sister, that I grow weary of com- 
municating my observations to you. It is pleasant 
to me to retire to my apartment, and converse with 
you in imagination ; and besides, as a matter of duty, 
I consider myself bound to render my tour interest- 



118 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

ing and profitable to you, who so cheerfully remain 
with our dear mamma, to assist her in domestic cares, 
to cheer and enliven her solitude by your society, and 
the advancement of your education. 

In travelling from Lewistown to Lockport in a 
stage-coach, we had for a fellow-passenger a man of 
singular appearance and deportment. At the first 
view there seemed nothing pecuharly striking about 
him ; his dress and manners were those of a person in 
the middling ranks of life, his look humble and unpre- 
tending. After we had proceeded a little distance, 
the conversation turning upon the face of the country 
and the geological facts connected with it, the stran- 
ger made some remarks which shovi^ed him to be a 
close observer of nature, whatever he might be with 
respect to attainments in bGok-learning. I ventured 
to ask some questions relative to the plants and 
minerals of the surrounding country, and found him 
perfectly familiar with the natural characteristics of 
the botanical and mineralogical kingdoms ; and yet 
his knowledge seemed wholly the fruit of his own 
observation and experience ; but though ignorant 
of the systems of others, he seemed to have formed 
for himself on many subjects the same theories 
which students find laid down in books. 

I found this stranger, too, a metaphysician : he 
did not indeed talk about identity, self-evident propO' 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 119 

sitions, mental 2^henomena J &c. ; but he seemed a most 
shrewd judge of character, and to know in reality 
much more of the operations of the human mind 
than many who write learned treatises on the sub- 
ject. Respecting the geography of the country 
through which we were passing, he seemed perfectly 
familiar; every little creek, rivulet, or cross-road 
was to him an old acquaintance. We all found a 
benefit in this knowledge, as the stage-driver, for 
his own accommodation, was about going off the 
customary road, and taking us a more circuitous and 
less agreeable way ; our knowing stranger told us 
at once what was the true state of the case, and by 
a few words, spoken significantly io the driver, com- 
pelled him to turn back into the more common 
route. 

I was sadly puzzled to account for the mixture 
of shrewdness and openness, knowledge of things 
and ignorance of books, benevolence of feeling and 
at the same time suspicion of others, which seemed 
all blended together in the character of this man. 
Besides, he seemed both old and young, for though 
his countenance was that of youth, he had the 
thoughtful brow of age, and time or hardships had 
touched with silver gray the thick clusters of dark 
brown hair which shaded his ample forehead. 

The interest I had taken in his remarks seemed 



120 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

not to have passed unnoticed ; for, several times when 
the stage stopped for a few minutes, he gathered 
fruit, or picked up some plant or mineral which he 
respectfully offered to me. As papa seemed not to 
disapprove my acceptance of these little attentions, 
offered as they were with respect, and without the 
least affectation of gallantry, I did not hesitate to 
receive them. 

Now, Louisa, is not your curiosity excited with 
respect to this unknown knight of the rueful counte- 
nance ? Methinks I hear you say, " Who could he be 1 
Not surely an ordinary farmer or mechanic, whose 
days had been spent in labour, and his nights in rest." 
Let me whisper in your ear the terrible secret. He 
was (as papa afterward discovered) one of the very 
persons engaged in the ^"-JVIorgajicojispiracy," and for 
several years past had been sometimes skulking about 
the country to elude pursuit, and at others confined 
in prison, with leisure to deliberate and form systems 
of natural science or ethics. He was, at the time 
we were honoured with his company, on his way to 
Albany, to attend upon a new trial, in which many 
others were also concerned for their agency in the 
Morgan affair. 

I was much mortified at this denouement re- 
specting the chevalier, who had in so knightly a 
manner rendered me various services. But papa 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 121 

said that he did not consider the conduct of this man 
as having proceeded from innate depravity, or desire 
of doing violence and injury, but from an enthusiastic 
attachment to the order of free-masonry, which he 
had pledged himself to support, and which he sup- 
posed had been violated and degraded by Morgan. 
He had taken dreadful oaths to avenge such violence 
and degradation, and, as papa observed, no doubt 
supposed he was " doing God service in being ex- 
ceedingly mad" against their author. None but 
daring and energetic spirits could ever have adopted 
such measures as did the Morgan conspirators ; and 
although this man of whom I have spoken had been 
in his early days a simple mechanic, yet several 
years had been spent in going from place to place, 
in being brought forward in public trials in one court 
and another, and looked upon by one class of people 
as a murderer, while his own fraternity regarded him 
as a martyr. All this would naturally give to a man 
of quick perception and an active mind an appear- 
ance not to be found in common life. When I 
write a novel it shall be American, and this man 
shall be my Rob Roy or bravo. 

At Lockport we passed our night, and the next 
morning examined the celebrated canal locks at that 
place. This is the first time we have met the canal 
since leaving Black Rock, the distance from which 



122 CAROUNE WESTERLEY. 

by this is less than thirty n.lles, although hy the 
route we took it is much greater. The nr.t K'ck. 
which occur on the canal after leaving Lake Erie 
are at Lockport. A descent of sixty feet, down 
what is called the mountain ridge, is here passed by 
means of five locks. 

A lock is a basin made so tight as to contain 
water, and furnished with gates at both ends. Sup- 
pose then that a height of sixty feet is to be descended 
by a canal-boat; you know that one lock or basia 
could not well be made sufficiently deep to effect 
such an object. But a basin of stone twelve feet 
deep may be made. . Well, at Lockport there are 
five successive locks of twelve feet in depth; you 
will perceive then by multiplying twelve by five you 
have the whole sixty feet of descent. When a boat 
is to descend the canal, the water of the first lock is 
let off into the second by raising the flood-gate; 
thus the boat in the first lock gradually sinks to a 
level with the water in the second, the gate bemg 
then opened, it floats into it. The water is then let 
off into the third lock, by raising the gate oi the sec- 
ond, and the boat floats gently down into this third 
basin as soon as it is filled with water from the lock 
above it. Thus are p11 the basins descended until 
the whole declivity h:.s ueea passed. There are 
facilities for ascending as well as for descending by 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 123 

means of two rows of locks, between which are thick 
walls of mason-work, constructed of blocks of stone 
cemented by water-lime rock, which for this purpose 
is burned, and then pulverized and made into paste. 
This is found to become harder and firmer by lying 
in water ; very fortimately, this lime rock is abundant 
throughout the greater part of the canal route, and it 
has therefore been used in the construction of locks, 
especially in the western part of the canal. 

It is stated in Eaton's Survey of the Canal, that 
the depth of geodiferous lime rock is more than thirty 
feet at Lockport, and that this in some of the lower 
locks is found to lie over calciferoiis slate. Where 
these two strata meet it is said numerous petrifac- 
tions are to be found ; however, I was somewhat 
disappointed at not being able to find at Lockport 
many good specimens either of rocks or petrifactions. 
So many travellers resort here, that every thing of 
this kind near the locks is picked up, and we had not 
leisure to devote to a minute search among the rocks. 
We were however directed to a shop where collec- 
tions were kept for sale, and made purchase of a few 
of the most interesting minerals of this locality. 

Lockport is really a most wild and picturesque 
spot. The work of art, great as it appears in the 
excavations I have described, is by no means more 
striking than the aspect of nature at this place. The 



124 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

village is divided into an upper and lower part ; the 
descent from the one to the other is over the moun- 
tain-ridge, composed of naked and almost perpen- 
dicular rocks. Occasionally a tasteful white cottage, 
with its green window-blinds, its court-yard and 
shrubbery, appears from a point of view, evidently 
chosen for its romantic situation on some command- 
ing cliff, rather than its proximity to other dwellings. 
Of the two villages the upper is the most populous ; 
but we preferred the accommodations found for 
travellers in the lower village. 

One day's ride from Lockport brought us to 
Rochester. I have now, to use a mercantile phrase, 
" posted up my accounts''' to this place, and must beg 
leave to bid you adieu for the present, with the pro- 
mise of describing in my next the wonders and 
beauties of this "Western New- York," as Rochester 
is sometimes called. 

Louisa, remember your sister in her wanderings, 
and believe her your ever affectionate 

Caroline. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 125 



LETTER VII. 

Rochester, July — , 1832. 
My DEAR Sister, 
This place and its neighbourhood abounds with 
fine natural scenery, and considering the short time 
since the hand and taste of man have here been ac- 
tive, it affords many interesting works of art. In 
describing Rochester, I will first mention its geo- 
graphical location. 

This town is situated on the Genesee River, ninety- 
fc-^'- miles east of Buffalo, and t."'o hundred and 
sixty-nine west of Albany. It is about seven miles 
from Lake Ontario, or the mouth of the Genesee 
River. This river, you will see by looking rpon a 
map of the United States, rises in Pennsylvania not 
far from the head waters of the Susquehanna and 
the Alleghany. I have been told that in an elevated 
tract of land, not more than six miles in extent, rise 
these waters, which take their different courses to- 
wards Lake Ontario, the Atlantic Ocean, and the 
Mississippi River. 

The Genesee River waters a fine and fertile region, 
which in the early days of the settlement of this part 
l2 



126 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

of the State of New-York was known generally by 
the name of the " Genesee country." This river at 
Rochester has a very strong and powerful current, 
which affords to the village great manufacturing ad- 
vantages. Papa says, that the flouring mills here 
are probably on a greater scale than hi almost any 
other place in the world. There are a great many 
factories and mechanical establishments carried on 
by means of water-power. 

Trusting that you now have a clear idea of the 
situation of Rochester, I will proceed to tell you 
something of the curiosities of the place. We first 
visited the celebrated aqueduct. This word, you 
know, is derived from the Latin, aqua water, and 
duco to conduct or lead ; it therefore signifies con- 
ducting water. I have sho^vn you the manner in 
which the canal passes down a steep declivity at 
Lockport. But at Rochester it has to pass a river 
with high perpendicular banks. Now how should 
you imagine, Louisa, that this could be accomplish- 
ed ? Just think of a bridge thrown over the river, 
made level with the canal, and then so tight as to 
hold water, and you have a conception of a canal 
aqueduct. It is a curious sight indeed to see a boat 
floating over a bridge. 

This aqueduct bridge is said to be more than eight 
hundred feet long. You know our house is about 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 127 

fifty feet in length ; so that this astonishing work 
must be as long as sixteen houses like our Pleasant 
Valley mansion. The aqueduct is built of red 
freestone, called by some geologists red sandstone, 
by others saliferous rock, from the Latin sal salt, and 
fero to bear, as this stratum is usually found to con- 
tain salt springs. I shall by-and-by tell you some- 
thing more of this rock, on remarking upon the 
geological features of this region. But I must now 
finish my description of the aqueduct bridge. I 
counted eleven arches, by which it is supported. It 
is said that this bridge did not cost much less than a 
hundred thousand dollars. It is situated near the 
centre of the village, and presents a very lively and 
animated as well as picturesque view ; here are to 
be seen canal-boats constantly passing and repassing, 
business people hurrying in different directions, and 
travellers like ourselves looking and wondering at 
what to the inhabitants has become a common and 
indifferent object, except as it serves their own con- 
venience. 

The Percevals are with us at Rochester. Mr. P. 
is much astonished at what he has heard respecting 
the rapid settlement and progress of the place : he 
appeared also much struck with the extent of the 
labour expended upon the canal at Lockport, and at 
the Genesee River. He remarked that the Western 



128 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

canal exceeded in length any in Europe, though not 
probably in labour and expense. He spoke of the 
CiJedonian Canal, which extends from the eastern to 
the western coast of Scotland, passing through the 
chain of lochs or lakes on its northern border. To 
save cutting through the rocks, the bed of one of the 
lakes. Loch Lochy, is raised twelve feet throughout 
its whole length of ten miles, and its breadth of one 
mile. At one place in this canal, Mr. P. said, were 
" eight connected locks one hundred and eighty feet 
long and forty wide, with gates of cast iron. These 
locks are sometimes called JVeptune^s Staircase, and 
being sufficiently large to admit shippinc;, often pre- 
sent a grand sight when viewed at the bottom of the 
hill below, as large vessels are seen floating down 
the declivity." He further remarked, that in going 
from Loch Lochy to Loch Eil, the canal crossed, 
by means of aqueduct bridges, three large streams, 
and twenty-three smaller ones. 

One circumstance Mr. Perceval mentioned re- 
specting this canal struck me as being conducive 
both to beauty and utility ; this is, the planting of 
shade trees along its banks. This would serve as a 
protection to the poor horses who drag the canal- 
boats, and to their riders, who, often exposed to a 
burning sun, jog oh through their respective routes 
whatever may be their own sufferings or that of their 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 129 

beasts. And then, how much it would relieve the 
monotony of travelling over marshy flats and sandy 
plains, if the eye might rest on the beautiful foliage 
of the locust, the graceful elm, or the rich maples ; 
the horse-chestnut too I love very much, and if its 
blossoms did not fade so early, I should be almost 
tempted to petition the Legislature of New-York to 
plant two rows of them from Buffalo to Albany. 

I was going to tell you more about Mr. P.'s re- 
marks respecting the canals of Great Britain, but 
my propensity for digression has led me too far from 
what I had attempted, viz. to describe the natural 
and artificial curiosities on and about the Genesee 
River, in latitude forty-three degrees north, and lon- 
gitude seventy-eight degrees west. I believe I am 
at this moment about two degrees of latitude north 
and four degrees of longitude east of you. 

A short walk from the aqueduct bridge brings us 
to the great Falls on the Genesee. These are about 
ninety feet in height, and had I not previously seen 
Niagara, would have appeared to me a very grand 
spectacle ; they are certainly well worth a traveller's 
notice. Papa informed me that a few years since a 
poor creature by the name of Patch, who had gained 
money and notoriety by performing similar acts of 
daring, offered to go beyond all he had before at- 
tempted, by leaping from a scaffold erected twenty- 



130 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

five feet above the rocks over which this river falls, 
down to the gulf below. A great many people 
assembled to witness this performance. Patch 
drank deeply of intoxicating liquor, aPxd then, appa- 
rently without concern for body or soul, made the 
awful plunge ! There was a breathless and painful 
suspense among the spectators, and for moments 
they stood anxiously looking for him to rise out of 
the water ; but he rose no more, until his dead body 
was floated at some distance below the Falls : he 
will rise no more until that general resurrection when 
the wicked shall " call on the rocks to cover them," 
that they may be hidden from the piercing eye of 
Him who will judge them for " the deeds done in 
the body." 

How much does the conduct of this poor creature 
resemble that of those who follow in the paths of sin, 
intoxicating themselves with pleasure, until reason, 
principle, and fear are all drowned in the illusions of 
the senses, and they madly rush into the yawning 
gulf of perdition ! Does not a scene like that pre- 
sented by the fatal leap of this man over the G enesee 
Falls, reflect disgrace upon those who encouraged 
such a dreadful exhibition, merely for purposes of 
amusement ? We are shocked at the savage pro- 
pensity of the ancient Romans, who encouraged 
gladiators to fight and kill each other for their enter- 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 131 

tainment ; we condemn the barbarous taste of the 
Spanish, whose most splendid and popular amuse- 
ments are the fiirious hull-fights,, in which these ani- 
mals are goaded to madness by every species of irri- 
tation : and yet an American populace could assem- 
ble to behold a fellow-creature risk his life for their 
entertainment; they could contribute money that 
would have been consumed in low and wicked sen- 
suality if their entertainer had escaped with his life. 

While papa was relating to me, as we stood at the 
foot of the Falls, some of the circumstances of that 
tragical affair, I could not but exclaim, " Can it be 
possible that those who call themselves Christians 
stood on this spot and saw a fellow-creature thus 
plunge into eternity, thoughtless of God, or a judg- 
ment to come, without raising a warning voice, 
without one admonition to the heedless being who 
thus madly rushed into the presence of a just and 
holy God !" 

" At the time that this event occurred," said papa, 
"the state of moral and religious feeling of the inhabit- 
ants of Rochester was very different from what it is 
at present. Such an entertainment as this would 
now receive little countenance from any of the people 
in this vicinity, while with most it would be highly 
condemned and decidedly opposed." 

I must now tell you something of the geological 



132 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

character of this region, as far as my own observa- 
tions, aided by those ot others, have informed me. 
I have made a httle sketch of the rocks which, ac- 
cording to Eaton, compose the Falls at Rochester. 
You are not to suppose that he or any other person 
actually discovered all the rocks which are supposed 
to exist at that place ; for it is only the geodiferous 
or upper rock which appears very plainly at the 
Falls. But by following the Genesee River from 
thence to the lower Genesee Falls, about two miles 
farther, different rocks successively appear, ex- 
cept those below the red sandstone or saliferous 
rock ; this forms for some distance the bed of the 
canal a few miles west of Rochester, and again 
appears at Lev/istown ten miles below the Falls of 
Niagara.* The red sandstone- rock is considered 
as closely connected with coal and salt-beds ; and 
in Europe the geologist who discovers this stratum is 
sure that rock-salt or salt springs may be found in 
or above, and beds of coal below it : but in our coun- 
try coal has not yet been found to be always in 
connexion with red sandstone, although salt springs 
are generally found associated with it. You have 
heard of the manufactories of salt from the waters 
of these springs in Montezuma, Salina, and other 

* For remarks on this subject, the young reader is referred to 
the Child'B Geology, pages 54 and 75. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 133 

places in the western part of this state ; but you 
had not perhaps heard that these springs aie all con- 
nected with red sandstone. Some have supposed 
that there must be beds of solid salt below this rock, 
which give saltness to the springs ; but others, who 
say that such beds would have been discovered if 
they existed, believe that the process of forming salt 
is constantly carried on by nature. They suppose 
that muriatic acid and soda, the two elements which 
by their combination form salt, exist in the rocks, and 
are constantly producing salt, or muriate of soda, by 
their union. 

A gentleman whom I heard conversing on the 
subject observed, that he had no doubt of the exist- 
ence of large quantities of coal below the red sand- 
stone in this state ; he said that no serious attempts 
had yet been made to dig through this stratum for 
coal, as, the country being well wooded, there had not 
yet been any want of fuel. But as the population 
should increase, and the forests be cleared up, the 
discovery of coal-beds would be considered of great 
importance, and he did not doubt but then such dis- 
coveries would be made. 

In confirmation of his opinion, he mentioned the 
fact, that in Oneida county, not far from the canal, 
at the foot of a hill where the red sandstone stratum 
juts out, a constant stream of carburetted hydrogen 

M 



134 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

gas issues from beneath, at the rate of a gallon in a 
minute. Now this gas, as you will recollect we 
learned from our chymical studies and experiments, 
is composed of carbon, and hydrogen. Carbon is 
the principal constituent of coal ; wherever coal 
exists, the gas of carbon, called carhonous gas, is 
likely to be produced. Water, which is composed 
in part of hydrogen, furnishes by its decomposition 
the latter gas, which, uniting to the carhonous, forms 
carhureited hydrogen. Thus you see that the 
presence of this gas issuing forth from between 
rocks may well be supposed to indicate the exist- 
ence of coal-beds below. This is the gas which so 
often proved fatal to miners from its sudden explo- 
sions when brought into contact with flame, before 
the invention of a safety-lamp of fine wire gauze by 
Sir Humphrey Davy. 

By understanding the position of the rocks at the 
Falls at Rochester, we perceive where the coal, if 
any exists, must be situated ; this would be below 
the saliferous or salt-bearing stratum. Above the 
latter is the iron-bearing or ferriferous stratum, com- 
posed of slate and sand-rock. I have already told 
you something of the strata above these, as they 
occurred at Niagara ; and I doubt not but you think 
I have given to this letter enough of the salt of 
science. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 135 

I ought not to forget to tell you that my young 

English friends have become fond of collectino; min- 
es o 

erals and plants, and having provided themselves 
with some elementary works on the subjects, are 
beginning to understand something of geology and 
botany ; even Mrs. P. herself has become a con- 
vert to papa's arguments, and says she shall no 
longer think any thing uninteresting because it is 
common. 

My dear sister, much as I love waterfalls, and 
all kinds of beautiful and sublime scenery, I feel that 
all inanimate nature 'S nothing in comparison to the 
beloved beings who can sympathize with me in my 
emotions, and from whose eyes beam forth the light 
of intelligence and love. I would give all that I 
have seen and admired for a week past for one of 
mamma's sweet and approving smiles ; and not a 
little would I give for one kind and affectionate 
moment with the companion of my childhood, my 
sister and friend : but this is an idle dream, I must 
go farther and farther from you ; months and even 
years may pass before we meet ; and how many 
things may take place to prevent our meeting at all 
in this world of uncertainty and disappointment ! 
May we, my dear sister, consider this, and cease not 
to live in the exercise of those pious affections and 
hopes which alone can fit us for that eternal world 



^86 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

whither we are going, and reunite us in the man- 
sions of eternal blessedness. 

Remember in your daily prayers your absent and 
affectionate 

Caroline. 



LETTER YIII. 

Rochester, August — , 1832. 

Yesterday was the Sabbath. I had been spending 
the past week in viewing the wonderful works of 
God, and I rejoiced to rest on that holy day, and to 
worship the holy Being whose greatness had been 
in so many ways manifested to my senses, I rose 
early, and having read in the twenty-sixth chapter 
of St. Matthew's gospel, the account of the last sup- 
per of our Saviour with his disciples, I was led to 
meditate upon his goodness in thus appointing a 
sacrament for a perpetual remembrance of himself. 
In this, frail and sinful man is reminded of the great 
sacrifice made for his sins, and invited to partake 
of that body and blood which was given for him. 

Yes, the great Author of nature, " He who spread- 
eth forth the heavens, who hangeth the eai'th upon 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. l37 

nothing, who raiseth up mountains, and causeth the 
waters to flow into the valleys," even He is our 
Saviour and Redeemer. Meek and lowly as was 
Jesus of Nazareth, breathing peace and forgiveness 
to all around him, suffering indignity and persecution 
from the great ones of the earth, weeping over the 
city most cruel and contemptuous towards him, and 
saying, with grief and tenderness, " Oh Jerusalem, 
Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy 
children as a hen gathereth her chickens under her 
wings, and ye would not !" Meek and lowly as he 
was, yet " in him dwelt the fulness of the Godhead 
bodily," power over the elements of nature, over 
death and the spirits of darkness ! He it is who at 
his second coming is " to judge the world," and •' to 
separate the righteous from the wicked." 

What a mysterious union of qualities appears in 
the character of Jesus Christ ; there is none so low, 
so wicked, but he is ready to receive and to bless 
him ; none so high or so powerful on earth or in 
heaven but in attempting to dare his omnipotence 
is as a worm of the dust before him. But myste- 
rious and incomprehensible as are the subUme doc- 
trines of our religion, yet even we, my dear sister, 
young and ignorant as we are, are capable of under- 
standing and enjoying its hopes and consolations ; 
and yet niany great and highly-gifted men are vainly 
M 2 



138 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

seeking to reconcile to human understanding truths 
which the human mind cannot fathom. In doing 
this, how often do they become themselves bewil- 
dered, and form new and absurd systems, or, giving 
up the whole of Christianity, fall into the gulf of un- 
belief, with no single ray from above to break the 
thick darkness of skepticism. This is because they 
will not, as " little children," hear the words of the 
Saviour, and receive his doctrines ; they would treat 
him as they would a teacher of human science ; 
that is, they are willing to receive his doctrines only 
as they can understand them. 

How precious is the privilege of having pious 
parents, who before the mind becomes proud of its 
own strength, and disposed to rest upon its own 
researches, impress it with religious truth ! Even 
the infidel parent feels that his child ought to put 
implicit confidence in his words, to obey without 
attempting to understand the reasons for his belief 
and obedience ; and cannot such a parent perceive 
that between him and his Maker is a distance aw- 
fully greater than between a mortal man and his 
young offspring ? 

Yesterday was a communion season in the church 
which we attended. The services were peculiarly 
solemn, and the audience appeared attentive and 
tlevout. The pastor, though young in years, seemed 



CAROLINE WE6TERLEY. 139 

ripe in piety. He addressed his audience with that 
feeling and earnestness which becomes " a dying 
man to dying men." His text in the morning was 
from these impressive words, " Be ye also ready." 
What added to their force on this occasion was the 
circumstance that they had been given out as a text 
for this day by a young female who the week before 
had been called into eternity, and who before her 
departure had evinced great anxiety that her early 
death might be blessed to the careless and worldly 
among her many acquaintances. She had, a short 
time before her sickness, become convinced of the 
empty nature of worldly enjoyments, and embraced 
the truth as set forth in the gospel ; slie had set her 
feet " in the strait and narrow way," had directed her 
eyes towards the Star of Bethlehem, and when death 
came, her only fears were for those who had not yet 
found that " peace which the world giveth not." 

Those who had with her received the consecrated 
bread and wine now missed her at the altar, but 
their heai-ts were cheered by the thought that she 
had gone to inherit that eternal life promised to those 
who "worthily eat and drink the body and blood of 
Christ." 

My dear papa and myself joined with the pro- 
fessed disciples of Christ in partaking of the " holy 
lYiysteries." While kneeling at the altar, I felt a 



140 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

peculiar anxiety that my dear sister might soon share 
with me in this encouraging and strengthening ordi- 
nance ; and I offered up a sincere and fervent prayer 
that the pious affections which seemed to have taken 
root in her mind might flourish and produce the fruits 
of holiness ; that she might be confirmed in her good 
resolutions to make an early profession of her faith 
in a crucified and risen Saviour, and be enabled to 
fulfil the vows made for her in baptism, that she 
should " continue Christ's faithful servant and fol- 
lower all the days of her life." 

This occasion was to me a very affecting one. 
It is just about one year since I first presented my- 
self as an unworthy guest at the table of the Lord. 
I was then deeply sensible that not for any merit of 
my own might I presume to appear in that place ; 
but feeling that I was invited to come, I dared not 
refuse. I know that my conduct and feelings have 
since been far below what a Christian's should be ; 
and yet a sweet sense of pardoning love and mercy 
supports me in viewing my own deficiencies. 

Many circumstances conspired to render this com- 
munion season more than usually impressive. I 
was far from that dear mother by whose side I had 
always knelt at the altar, and I felt the possibility 
that I might never again enjoy that privilege. I felt 
too that the strangers by whom I was surrounded 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 141 

were indeed my brethren, sharing with me in one 
" Lord, one faith, and one baptism," and I could 
almost fancy myself already in that world among 
whose inhabitants there is but one all-powerful tie, 
and where all lesser considerations are swallowed up 
in the union of hearts and voices in ascribing "bless- 
ing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and 
honour, and power, and might, unto God for ever 
and ever." 

On Sabbath evening we attended a third service, 
and here again appeared a crowded assembly, eager 
to listen to the words of life ; while the same deep 
and fervent zeal seemed to animate the heart of him 
who seemed to be fast consuming the lamp of life, 
that he might be " a burning and a shining light" to 
the people of liis charge. 

On our return from the third service, the Perce- 
vals were sitting in the parlour of our hotel, pursuing 
their several occupations and amusements. Mr. P. 
himself, who is taking notes of his travels, was en- 
gaged with his manuscripts. Mrs. P. was playing 
backgammon with her niece, while the other young 
lady was carelessly turning over a volume of 
prints. 

" Really, Mr. Westerley," said Mr. P. to papa as 
we entered, " you and your daughter have made 
a business of going to church to-day. I attended 



142 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

morning service, which satisfied my conscience very 
well,*' 

" I am far from presuming to interfere with the 
consciences of others," was the reply ; " for I find 
ample employment in regulating myself." 

" But, my dear sir, are you not making quite too 
serious and slavish an affair of this keeping of 
Sunday ? Is it not given us for our own use 1 You 
know the good book says the Sabbath was made for 
man, and not man for the Sabbath." 

*' The Sabbath is indeed made for man, and what 
higher privilege can man enjoy than to consecrate 
his best faculties to the praise and worship of his 
Maker 1 what greater enjoyment than to find his 
heart in unison with the noble themes which treat 
of man's redemption, and the glories which await 
him in that state of existence of which this is but as 
the porch to a magnificent temple of infinite extent? 
But excuse me, sir, this is a subject on which, feel- 
ing as I do, if I speak at all, I must express myself 
with earnestness ; but you will recollect that you 
have thrown me upon my defence, and I hope will 
believe that I am far from intending to judge those 
who may differ from me in opinion." 

Papa evidently seemed unwilling to suffer the 
serene state of his own feehngs to be interrupted 
by the continuation of an argument which, without 



CAROLINE VVESTERLEY. 143 

profiting others might be unfavourable to himself; 
and taking advantage of a momentary pause, in which 
Mr. Perceval seemed rallying his forces for a fresh 
attack, he bade us good night and retired to his own 
apartment. 

I was intending to go immediately to my own 
room, when Mrs. P. whose attention had been drawn 
from the game in which she was engaged by the 
foregoing conversation, said, " And is your father, 
Miss Westerley, really a Methodist 1 I thought he 
was a member of our church." 

" My father, madam," said I, " is a member of the 
Episcopal church, but he is not exclusive in his reli- 
gious feelings ; he loves Christians of all denomina- 
tions." 

" Excuse me, my dear, if I remark, that I have 
observed in your faiher a puritanical strictness and 
severity which seemed not to harmonize with the 
general urbanity of his fine and gentlemanly man- 
ners, the elevated tone of his sentiments, and the 
high cultivation of his mind ; but I was by no means 
aware that he thought people in order to be Chris- 
tians must go to church three times a day." 

" Pardon me, madam," said I, " you must have 
misunderstood my father's remarks if you gathered 
from them that he does thus think. Our parish 
minister, a very good and, as we doubt not, a pious 



144 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

man, does not think proper to open the church for a 
third service on Sunday. I have indeed heard my pa- 
rents regret this, not so much on account of their own 
family, to whose rehgious instruction they usually 
devote the evening of the Sabbath, as for the sake of 
some of their neighbours, who are accustomed to 
spend the evening in amusement or idleness for the 
want of some regular religious services of a public 
nature." 

« Why, my dear child," said Mrs. P., " should 
your parents wish to deprive their poor and hard 
labouring neighbours of the pleasures of the Sabbath 
evening? In England, from which country you 
know your religion is derived, few among any 
classes, high or low, think themselves bound to at- 
tend more than the morning ser/ice on Sunday; in- 
deed it is often very difficult for the higher classes to 
do so ; as on this day we usually either dine abroad 
or have company, and our dinner-hour would be in- 
terfered with by attending upon a second service." 

« My dear Miss Westerley," said Mary Perceval, 
»' if you knew how many pleasant excursions Sunday 
affords us, I am sure your kind heart would not wish 
to deprive us of them in order that we might be shut 
up all day in a gloomy church. Oh mamma, how 
delightfully we passed the Sunday before we left 
home, in company with Lady Stanley and her family, 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 14§ 

3ft sailing up the Thames in our new Cleopatra 
barge ! As we left the smoke and dust of London, 
the pure fr^sh air seemed to fan my cheek as if to 
welcome me to its embrace ; I could not cease from 
drawing long breaths that I might inhale its balmy- 
sweetness ; and I even envied the peasants who 
could always have this enjoyment of air as it comes 
unadulterated from the hand of Providence." (Poor 
thing, thought I, she forgot her duty to the " Giver 
of every good and perfect gift" in violating his com- 
mand to keep holy the Sabbath-day.) " Oh Caro- 
line," said the enthusiastic girl, "you can little imagine 
the beauty and richness of the scenery which our 
Thames presents, with its gardens, its shrubberies, 
its neat boxes, its elegant villas, and magnificent 
seats, which are scattered around in every direction, 
and meet the eye at every point of viev^. How 
delighted I should be to see your admiration of the 
Botanical Garden at Kew, you who understand all 
about the scientific arrangement of plants. But 
I shall never forget the delightful spot. I must tell 
you something about it, though I see you look im- 
patient, as if you wanted to go ; but I have scarcely 
spoken with you to-day, and now you must be con- 
tent to stay with us a while, for we are all so dull 
without you and your kind papa." 

^' Well, my d«ar," said I, " make haste and tell 



146 CAROLINE WESTERLET. 

me about the gardens at Kew, and the remainder of 
your Sabbath-day's excursion." 

" Kew, you must understand, Miss Westerley, is 
a villa containing a royal paJace (a thing with which 
you Americans are not blessed), built in the Gothic 
style, and famous for its picturesque grounds, as well 
as collections of rare plants, beasts, and birds. In 
the heart of the villa is a ivilderness, which, in the 
centre, presents an open space surmounted by a very 
singular building, called the Great Chinese Pagoda. 
The figure is octagonal, it consists of ten stories, 
and is more than a hundred and sixty feet in height : 
I wish I could show you its wonderful interior ; but 
as this cannot be, it is in vain to attempt a descrip- 
tion of it. Well then, you must know that the build- 
ing is crowned by an observatory, from which a most 
delightful and extensive prospect of the surrounding 
country is obtained. The collection of plants is 
splendid beyond description ; I was told that the 
African plants alone occupied a building of one 
hundred and ten feet in length. 

" In a retired spot in the wilderness stands the 
late queen's favourite cottage. Instead of a few 
hours, I should like to have spent my life at Kew ; 
that is, if there were not in the world so many other 
fine sights." 

" If you had always staid at Kew, my dear," 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 147 

said her aunt, "you could not have seen Niag- 
ara." 

" Oh, Niagara ! I had forgotten that when I saic 
nothing could equal the Thames." 

" Have you got through with your excursion. Miss 
Mary ?" said I (feehng that, however interesting the 
lescription might have been at another time, I did 
not then wish to have my mind diverted from the 
thoughts of the past day and its solemnities). 

" You must hear further, my dear Miss Westerley, 
for how can I, since the spirit of description has 
descended upon me, fail to speak of Richmond, with 
its enchanting variety of scenery? But I will modestly 
suffer my own muse to fold her wings, and soaring 
with one more lofty, will show forth the charms of 
this delightful place." 

The lively and elegant girl, then putting herself into 
a theatrical attitude, repeated with the grace of a 
Siddons the following lines from Thomson : — 

" Enchanting vale ! beyond whate'er the muse 
Has of Achaia or Hesperia sung ! 
Oh vale of bliss ! oh softly-swelling bills ! 
On which the power of cultivation lies, 
And joys to see the wonders of his toil. 
Heav'ns ! what a goodly prospect spread around, 
Of hills, and dales, and woods, and lawns, and spires, 
And glittering towns, and gilded streams." 

»* Yery charming," said T, " both the poetry and 



^"^S CAROLINE VVESTERLEY. 

the manner in which you have recited it. I can 
readily comprehend that your excursion, presenting 
as it did so much that was lovely both in nature and 
art, must have been truly delightful, and yet pardon 
me, my dear girl, and you, my dear madam, if I say 
tliat with my views of our obligations to keep holy \ 
the Sabbath-day, I could not be happy even amid 
such scenes in a party of pleasure, feeling as I must 
that I vv-as neglecting the peculiar duties of the day.'' 

"But," said Miss P., "we can see the beauties 
of Kew only on Sunday, since the gardens are not 
allowed to be opened to visiters any other day." 

"I am very sorry," I answered, « to hear that in 
a country professing to take the lead in disseminating 
the Christian religion, a royal mandate should thus 
encourage the breach of one of its commandments ; 
but we owe our first obedience to Him who is the 
King of kings and Lord of lords." 

Mrs. P. was too polite to press me further on a 
subject when she saw I was decided, and the young 
ladies, half-wondering and half-vexed at what they 
considered my puritanical obstinacy, forbore to urge 
my stay, when I rose to bid them good night. 

In the solitude of my own chamber I reviewed 
with grateful emotions the privileges of the day ; I 
felt that there is an enjoyment in the services of reli- 
gion infinitely beyond what the pleasures of the world 



CAROLINE VVESTERLEY. 149 

can yield. My heart swelled with gratitude to Him 
who had caused the wilderness to blossom as the 
rose ; and in this place, where savage orgies had so 
recently resounded, had caused the voice of praise 
and prayer to ascend from so many thousand pious 
worshippers of the Lamb. 

The progress of piety has indeed been great in 
this place and in many others of the western villages 
in the state, during a few years past. And although 
from what I have learned on this subject, I should 
think some fanaticism has been mingled with Chris- 
tian zeal, yet an incalculable amount of good has 
been produced by the efforts which have been made 
to turn the attention of the carel ess to the great con- 
cerns of eternity. 

In Rochester there are now twelve churches of 
different denominations ; one of these is a Gothic 
building of much beauty and elegance. Papa 
thought its interior was finished without sufficient 
regard to the style of building which had been at- 
tempted ; and Mr. P., rather sneeringly for him, 
made some remarks about its not being quite equal 
to Westminster Abbey. To me, however, who have 
seen but little of the magnificence of art, it appeared 
a grand and beautiful building. 

We have received many hospitalities from the 
good people -of Rochester ; the best part of the soci- 
N 2 



150 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

ety here, as in Buffalo, is said to be mostly composed 
of emigrants from New-England. 

The greatest deficiency which, in the view of some 
of its inhabitants, exists in this place, is with respect 
to schools, particularly for females. The young 
ladies here are generally sent abroad, either to Can- 
andaigua, Troy, or New- York, for their education.* 

I shall be very busy the remainder of the day in 
preparing to recommence our journey to-morrow. 
It is not therefore in my power to give you descrip- 
tions of all the interesting objects I have seen ; the 
lower Falls of the Genesee at Carthage, two miles 
distant, the splendid view of the surrounding country 
obtained from the observatory at the top of the Ar- 
cade, these and many other subjects might furnish 
matter for a very long letter. But you must give me 
credit for some industry in writing as much as I have 
done from here, while I have been so much on the 
wing. 

Adieu, my dear sister. 

Caroline. 

* Since the visit of the " Young Traveller" to Rochester, it is 
understood that a flourishing Female Seminary, under the care 
of the Misses Black, formerly of London, and for some time re- 
eident in the Troy Seminary, has been established on the plan 
of the latter institution. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 151 



LETTER IX. 



Canandaigua, . 

Our party in the stage-coach from Rochester to 
this place consisted of Mr. P. and family, a strange 
gentleman and lady, papa, and myself. We were 
favoured with fine weather, and all seemed disposed 
to contribute to the general entertainment. 

Mr. P. described to us Westminster Hall, where 
the King of England dines on the day of his corona- 
tion. It is an immense apartment, nearly three 
hundred feet in length and one hundred in breadth. 
This building was erected by William Rufus, and 
afterward enlarged by Richard II., who is said to 
have entertained ten thousand persons within its 
walls. The grand courts of justice were formerly 
held here, and here Charles I. was tried and sen- 
tenced to be beheaded. The House of Lords, Mr. 
P. says, is very near to Westminster Hall, and not 
distinguished either for magnificence or elegance. 
Papa remarked that American travellers had de- 
scribed the houses for the accommodation of the 
two branches of the British legislature, the Lords and 
Commons, as inferior to the American capilol at 



152 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

Washington, where our two houses of Congress 
hold their sessions. Mr. P. good-naturedly observed 
that, much as Ills country had suffered in the loss 
of their American Colonies, he believed that many 
of its inhabitants did with him heartily rejoice in the 
growing prosperity of this fair republic ; " and," he 
added, " 1 assure you, sir, that the conduct of our 
troops at Washington during the late war, in demol- 
ishing and defacing the works of art in that city with 
barbarian ferocity, was severely censured by many, 
both in and out of parliament." 

Mr. P. then, at my request, told me about the 
tvoolsacJcs, respecting which I had read in English 
books. I had not supposed the lord chancellor 
of England did really sit upon such a sack, but that 
the name for the seat of this dignitary was a figurative 
expression, or originated in some ancient usage ; but 
it seems that the lord chancellor, the judges, and the 
principal officers in the House of Lords are actually, 
when in the discharge of their duties, mounted upon 
high woolsacks covered with crimson baize ; while 
the peers, according to their rank, sit on benches 
covered with baize of the same kind. The arch- 
bishops sit on the right-hand of the throne, with the 
dukes and marquises next, the bishops are on the 
left of the throne, while the barons are placed on 
benches fronting it. The throne, or king's seat, is 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 153 

an arm-chair elegantly carved and gilt, and covered 
with crimson velvet, embroidered with silver ; it is 
elevated above all the other seats, while suspended 
over it is a canopy of state, having the coat of arms 
of the United Kingdoms of Great Britain richly em- 
broidered in silk. When the king attends upon the 
house, all the bishops and lords are dressed in 
their robes of state. 

What a pity it is that kings should not always be 
really great and noble ! and how degraded seems 
human nature when weak and wicked men bear 
rule over their fellow-beings ! 

I cannot now give you Mr. Perceval's description 
of Westminster Abbey, although it was highly inter- 
esting. I have often read of this venerable builds 
ing, but never could form in my own mind so lively 
a conception of it as I obtained from his description. 
Did you know that besides the grand church of St. 
Peter there are eleven chapels belonging to the 
abbey? Each chapel has its tombs and monu- 
ments of distinguished persons; and here kings, 
queens, nobles, politicians, poets, philosophers, mu- 
sicians, and actors — all moulder in quiet repose, as 
far as this world is concerned. 

Mrs. Perceval tells me that the wife of the present 
King of England, Queen Adelaide, is a woman of 
simple, unostentatious manners and habits, and that 



154 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

she has endeavoured to correct the extravagance 
and licentiousness of her court, not only by precept, 
but by her own example. 

Miss Perceval and her amiable cousin, Eliza 
Mac Donald, were more than usually sociable 
during our ride, as they anticipated a separation 
from us at Canandaigua. They asked me of my 
home and sisters, and were much surprised to learn 
that you, my dear Louisa, who are but fourteen, had 
made respectable proficiency in Latin, knew some- 
thing of Greek, could read Spanish very well, and 
could both write and speak the French with facility : 
that, withal, you wrote a fine English style, was a 
good arithmetician, had studied the elements of ge- 
ometry, could analyze flowers, make experiments in 
chymistry, and play pieces of music on the piano 
and guitar at sight. Simple and easy as these 
things have appeared to us, who have been so much 
accustomed to a regular division of time, and to hab- 
its of industrious application under the faithful super- 
intendence of our dear parents, I find they seem 
quite wonderful to many persons ; and really begin 
to fear I shall be thought pedantic, from the circum- 
stance of asking questions, and appearing to know 
a little about things which, it seems, young ladies 
are generally supposed to be entirely ignorant of. 
Miss Mac Donald, who is near my age, said, " I 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 16^ 

presume your sister devotes all her time to study ; 
she cannot, surely, learn the use of her needle, or 
find any time for amusement, with so many other 
pursuits." I told her that, on the contrary, you was 
very expert at sewing, and quite a good little house- 
keeper ; being often employed by mamma in making 
pastry, and in superintending and performing other 
household operations, besides finding time, in sum- 
mer, to keep part of a flower-garden in order ; and 
to read and amuse yourself some hours every day. 

You may think, my dear sister, that I was too 
forward in setting forth your acquirements, but I 
assure you it was not until my young companions 
had urged me to give them an outline of your char- 
acter. I must tell you as did the sons of Jacob 
their father, when they returned from Egypt with a 
message from the great man of the country, that 
they must bring their younger brother with them 
when they next came. Jacob, you recollect, asked 
them why they had told the man that they had a 
younger brother; and they said, "How could we 
know that he would say to us. Bring your brother 
down?' So, Louisa, how could I have known, 
when I told them, in answer to their inquiry, that I 
had a sister, that they would wish to know how she 
had been educated ? You will see, therefore, and 
mamma, who hates every thing like display, will per- 



166 CAROLINE WESTERLEY* 

ceive too, that I was not intentionally guilty of it in 
this instance. 

I have told you that a stranger gentleman and his 
wife accompanied us from Rochester to this place. 
They were from Kentucky, and going to Saratoga 
Springs for the lady's health ; who appeared ex- 
tremely debilitated. Her servant, a slave, who had 
been long attached to her family, and had insisted 
on accompanying her as a nurse, had left her at 
Rochester, where she met with some blacks, who 
told her she was free in the State of New-York. I 
could not but feel a deep interest for one who, 
though she seemed upon the borders of the grave, 
appeared unconscious of her real situation, and 
talked of the world, its fashions, and vanities with 
as much interest as if it was to be her everlasting 
abode. She was, notwithstanding the pressure of 
disease, a brilliant woman, and appeared to antici- 
pate the novelty and gayeties of the Springs, as if she 
was going for pleasure, rather than to seek for a 
temporary alleviation of a malady which threatened 
her existence. 

She had been describing to us the state of society 
in Lexington, their parties of pleasure, and fashion- 
able amusements, not forgetting the grotesque scenes 
of a country barbecue, when, exhausted by her ef- 
forts to converse, she sank, fair.ting and gasping for 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 157 

breath, into the arms of her attentive but sorrowful 
husband. We were all alarmed, for she looked 
frightfully pale and livid, but in a few minutes re- 
covered so as to be able to speak. She then laughed 
at her husband for being so serious about what she 
called a slight affair, apologized to the company for 
having caused any uneasiness, and resumed her 
share in conversation as if nothing had happened. 

Oh, my dear sister, how much did I feel for this 
thoughtless, inconsiderate, but lovely woman ! — on 
the very shores of eternity, and yet amusing herself 
with toys and trifles, instead of making any provi- 
sion for that world to which she, probably, is so soon 
to take her passage ! If a person about to go to 
Europe for even a few months, were to spend the last 
moments given for preparation in picking up sea- 
shells upon the beach, or culling such flowers as 
presented themselves, without any care to lay in 
stores for the voyage, without making arrangements 
for a residence abroad, or providing funds to meet 
coming necessities, how improvident, how mad would 
such a course appear ! And yet we see people, who 
seem wise for this world, entirely neglecting their 
eternal interests, laying up no treasures in that world 
which is to be their everlasting home, and providing no 
comforts for their passage across the Jordan of death. 

We arrived at the beautiful village of Canandaigua 



158 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

in season for dinner. I cannot say much of the 
scenery between this place and Rochester, as I wa& 
more occu{)ied with what was passing within the 
stage-coach than attentive to things abroad ; but I 
do not think any views of much interest presented 
themselves on the road, and we passed no village of 
importance. 

Canandaigua is situated upon the outlet of a small- 
lake of the same name, about fifteen miles long and 
one broad. The waters of this lake flow into Lake 
Ontario, and the county in which it is situated is 
called Ontario. Upon examining a map of the State 
of New-York, you will perceive that south of Lake 
Ontario are a number of smaller lakes, connected with 
the former by rivers, which run a northerly course. 
From this fact you will understand, that there is a 
descent towards Lake Ontario in the north-western 
counties of this state. We have now arrived at the 
first of the secondary lakes, and are upon an eleva- 
tion of six hundred and seventy feet above the At- 
lantic Ocean, one hundred and five above Lake Erie, 
and somewhat less above Lake Ontario. The great 
canal runs considerably to the north of Canandaigua^ 

This village appears quite unlike Rochester ; in* 
stead of the busy, bustling appearance of the latter 
place, Canandaigua seems quiet and calm. Elegant 
mansions surrounded by large court-yards and hand- 



CAROLINE VVESTERLEY. 159 

some gardens, with noble trees, for fruit and shade, 
bespeak weahh accumulated, and leisure for tasteful 
improvements ; wliile Rochester, like youth, seems 
full of life and enterprise, Canandaigua, with the 
dignity of more mature years, appears reposing in 
the enjoyment of wealth already acquired. Among 
the many pleasant seats which adorn this place, I 
would mention the residence of Mr. G., a gentleman 
of high reputation for hospitality and benevolence. 

When the Duke d'Orleans, now King of France, 
was, many years ago, in this country, friendless and 
homeless, Mr. G. offered him the hospitalities of 
his house, and showed him many marks of atten- 
tion. It so happened that Mr. G. and his lady 
v/ere in Europe in 1830, that wonderful era of the 
late revolution, which so unexpectedly placed Philippe 
d'Orleans upon the throne of France. The monarch, 
not forgetful of his American friend, no sooner 
learned of his being in Paris than he sent him an 
invitation to make the palace his home during his 
stay in the capital. This, to be sure, seems nothing 
more than a natural and equitable return of polite- 
ness, but yet it is spoken of as a very meritorious 
thing in Louis Philippe ; as though it was remarkable 
for a king to do an act which in another person 
would be considered merely one of ordinaiy justice. 

Another anecdote I have heard of Mr. G. is 



160 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

much more interesting than the one relating to the 
king. It was related to me by a lady who vv^as per- 
sonally acquainted with the facts. Mr. G., it seems^ 
was, a few years since, present at a public examina- 
tion in a female seminary, of distinguished reputa- 
tion, where he particularly observed a young girl of a 
remarkably modest and unassuming deportment, who 
yet seemed to be first in several classes which were 
examined. At length a circumstance occurred 
which particularly called his attention to her : a class 
in Enfield's philosophy were under examination ; the 
young lady whom I have already mentioned had been 
very thoroughly questioned, and had demonstrated, 
with much clearness and propriety, one of the most 
difficult propositions in the book, when a member of 
the class, who had been called up to be examined, 
being unable, on account of indisposition, to pro- 
ceed, she was again called up, and requested to go 
through with the unfinished demonstration. The 
audience, some of whom had supposed the pupils 
must have made a previous preparation of their own 
particular exercises, in order to be so prompt in their 
answers, expected that the young lady, thus unex- 
pectedly called upon, would be embarrassed, and 
unable to proceed. She, however, stepped forward 
to the black-board v.hich contained the figures, as 
written by her class-mate, examined the method in 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 161 

which she had proceeded, and then, without the least 
hesitation, went through with the proposition, show- 
ing at every step in the demonstration, that the whole 
process was perfectly comprehended in her own 
mind. She then took her seat with much modesty 
and humility, apparently unconscious of the admira- 
tion of the many distinguished persons who hap- 
pened to be present. 

Mr. G., on inquiring of a gentleman who sat next 
him, was told that this interesting girl was the 
daughter of a widow, who had been for several years 
suffering under depressed circumstances. The fa- 
ther of the young lady was a merchant, who emi- 
grated from England while his children were very 
young. He lived but a short time after settling in 
one of the flourishing towns on the Hudson River, 
and letl an embarrassed estate. His widow, unac- 
customed to hardships, found herself placed in very 
trying circumstances ; without property or friends, 
and in a foreign country, she knew not what to do 
with her young family of fatherless children. But 
He who is the " father of the fatherless" raised up 
some friends who encouraged her to exert herself, 
and assisted in placing her three daughters in the 
school whose examination was now going forward. 
The principal of the institution, Mr. G. was told, 
had done much to assist this worthy family, and was 
o2 



162 CAROLINE -VVESTERLEt. 

now endeavouring to prepare the young ladles to be- 
come teachers. 

The next day, Mr. G. waited on the principal of 
the school, and handing her a sum of money in bank- 
notes, requested that she would give this to her in- 
teresting pupil, and at the same time added another 
sum for her mother, the excellent widow, who was 
labouring under so many difficulties and privations 
in order to promote the education of her daughters. 
The lady principal was so highly delighted that 
Providence had sent, thus unexpectedly, a benefac- 
tor to this interesting family, that she went herself, 
in company with a friend, to bear the donation to 
the interesting family. 

This friend who accompanied the principal of the 
school to the house of the widow is the person from 
whom J had the relation which I give you. Although 
I am making out a long letter, yet I must tell you 
what the lady said of the visit to which I have just 
referred ; and I will give the relation in her own words. 

" It was just at evening as Mrs. D. and myself 
set out upon our agreeable errand. We found the 
dwelling of Mrs. K., the mother of the interesting 
Amelia, situated in an unpleasant part of the city, 
surrounded by mean and dirty shops and houses. 
On knocking at the street door, a middle-aged wo- 
man, plainly but neatly attired, invited us to enter. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 163 

Mrs. D. was acquainted with the mother of her 
pitpils, and introduced me to Mrs. K., who received 
us with the ease and pohteness of one accustomed 
to society. On casting my eyes about the room where 
we sat, I was struck with the neatness and propriety 
which prevailed, notwithstanding an air of close and 
rigid economy. In the window-seats stood several 
pots of geraniums, roses, and other house-plants, some 
of which were in full bloom, and all by their verdant 
and lively appearance bespoke care and attention. 
Several finely executed paintings, the work of Mrs. 
K.'s daughters, hung about the room in plain frames 
— a handsome but old-lookingcarpet carefully darned, 
and an antiquated sideboard, bore testimony to for- 
mer days of prosperity ; while the cooking-stove, a.nd 
some culinary utensils near it, showed that this room 
served the double purpose of parlour and kitchen. 

" Mrs. D. inquired after the health and circum- 
stances of the family. ' We have many mercies to 
be thankful for,' was the pious answer of Mrs. K., 
* and are provided for beyond our deserts : but I am 
sometimes anxious for the future ; and now, as I 
owe for my last quarter's rent, and my daughters 
need some new clothing in order to appear suitably 
dressed for school, I feel too much solicitude with 
respect to the means by which I shall be enabled 
to discharge my debt and provide for their wants. 



164 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

My children will soon, I hope, be able to render me 
some assistance, and even now they do a great deal 
Vv'hen out of school.' — ' Your children, my dear 
madam,' said Mrs. D., 'are indeed blessings to you, 
and you have great cause to confide in Him who 
has promised to be the widow's God.' Mrs. D. 
then produced the money which Mr. G. had sent to 
her daughter Amelia, and to herself. The good 
Mrs. K. wept tears of joy and gratitude on hearing 
the praises bestowed upon her beloved child, and 
receiving the relief v/hich had come to her in a man- 
ner so gratifying to a parent's heart." 

I had the curiosity to inquire of the lady who re- 
lated to me this interesting story, if she knew any 
thing of the young girl in whom Mr. G. had been so 
much interested. " This young girl," said the lady, 
" is now a lady of elegant manners, and high intel- 
lectual attainments, and occupies a station of great 
responsibility and usefulness. She has been en- 
abled to provide handsomely for her excellent mother 
and youngest sister ; and her elder sister is a valu- 
able assistant in a very respectable school." How 
much more to be envied, my dear sister, is this charm- 
ing Amelia K., than those butterflies of fashion, 
who, without any real merit, are able by means of 
money to make a figure in the world ! May we, 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 165 

like her, be a comfort and honour to our parents, and 
useful to the world. 

There is in Canandaigua a very beautiful and 
finely situated building, which is appropriated to a 
female seminary. In company with some friends, 
papa and myself visited the school. The principal 
very politely showed us the different apartments, for 
study, recitations, &c. There is much in the con- 
struction and arrangement of the rooms to please 
the eye ; but it was observed by one of the company, 
that the rooms were too large for the convenience 
and advantage of the pupils, as many w^ere obliged to 
study and lodge in the same apartment ; the parlours 
also were thought to be too numerous, as they required 
much expense of furniture and labour of servants. 

For some reason this institution has not flourished 
as was expected ; and is said to have been an expense 
rather than a pecuniary advantage to the place. 

The Percevals Vv'ill not proceed with us any farther, 
as they are going from here to visit an English family 
on tht! borders of a beautiful lake at some distance. 
I consider the chance which brought me acquainted 
with this family as fortunate. Too lofty in rank to 
need the assistance of impertinent and assuming 
manners, and too elevated in character to practise 
the meannesses of the would-he great, they are 
probably a good specimen of English character, 



166 CAROLINE WESTERLEV. 

under its most favourable aspect. I refer to manners 
and morals, but not to religion. You will perceive 
by my letter from Rochester, that their ideas of the 
duties and privileges of the Christian are far below 
the standard which has been held up to us by our 
parents. There was a want of communion of feel- 
ing between them and us on religious subjects, which 
was the more painful from the circumstance that in 
most other respects our sentiments blended in sweet 
and pleasant harmony. Mr. Perceval is a highly 
polished gentleman, with a mind enriched by ancient 
and modern literature. Should he ever think proper 
to publish his notes upon American character, man- 
ners, government, &c., from which I have with great 
pleasure heard him read some extracts, they will 
make a very different work from those of Captain Hall 
and a Mrs. TroUope — the latter of whom has, it 
seems, recently published a mass of matter in the 
form of " Travels in America," which in many re- 
spects is said to apply no more to the actual state 
of things in our country than to the Hottentots of 
Africa. Mr. Perceval speaks with great severity 
of this conduct of some of the English who visit our 
shores ; and will not allow these works to be made 
a standard of English feeling towards America. 

Mrs. Perceval is a woman of a fine, commanding 
person, and manners which might dignify a duchess. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 167 

She has honoured me by her friendship and regard, 
altogether beyond what I could have expected. 
Mamma will feel truly grateful to her for the maternal 
kindness with which this foreign lady has distin- 
guished her rustic daughter. Should the family re- 
main in the country as long as they sometimes anti- 
cipate, I am not without the hope that Mrs. P. and 
my dear mother may yet become personally known 
to each other. 

In speaking of this English lady, Louisa, you will 
observe that I have never passed any high encomi- 
ums upon her intellectual attainments. She is not 
a Hannah More or a Maria Edgeworth, nor indeed 
is she as familiar with the writings of these ladies 
as mamma is ; and yet there is a powerful charm in 
her language and conversation, a richness of thought, 
and brilliancy of fancy, which render her society 
delightful and improving. Now if, in addition to all 
this, and the truly amiable disposition which she 
possesses, her reasoning powers had been cultivated 
by a suitable course of mental discipline, and her 
principles purified and elevated by the influences of 
the Holy Spirit, Mrs. Perceval would indeed be a 
perfect character. As she is, I thinJi her more like 
the late Empress Josephine, as this interesting but 
unfortunate woman is represented in the " Family 
Library," than any person T have ever seen. 



168 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

Miss Perceval, the adopted daughter, is sprightly 
and amiable, and her cousin Miss M'Donald, though 
less lively, is far from being uninteresting. Both are 
very affectionate to the kind and liberal benefactors 
who have supplied to them the want of parents 
and fortune ; but, like too m.any young people, they 
seem ihoughtJesshj happy, without any conception 
that there are in life trials to be' met, and duties to be 
discharged. But it is painful to me to perceive any 
defects in people who have treated me with so much 
kindness, whom I love, and from whom I am about 
to be separated for ever ; but we must discriminate, 
Louisa, or there can be no such thing as a settled 
regard to genuine worth and goodness. I have en- 
deavoured, in my intercourse with these interesting 
people, to do what I know my dear mother would 
have advised ; that is, to profit by a close observation 
of their fine manners and conversations, without 
suffering their opinions upon moral or religious 
subjects to affect my own principles. Until a young 
person is able to do this, intercourse with the world- 
must be very dangerous to the character. 

To-morrow we go to Auburn, from whence I will 
endeavour to write to you, as we intend remaining ss 
few days there. Adieu. 

Caroline* 



CAROLINE WESTERLE.Y. 1G9 



LETTER X. 

Auburn, August — , 1832' 
This is indeed a beautiful region, abounding with 
pleasant and flourishing villages and beautiful lakes. 
Geneva, which is about sixteen miles from Canan- 
daigua, and situated at the outlet of Seneca Lake, 
is a delightful place. We stopped there but a short 
time, but long enough to take a viev/ of its general 
appearance, as seen from an elevated site in one of 
its principal streets. There is a college in this place, 
which, though recently established, is said to be flour- 
ishing. The lake on which this village is situated 
is larger than that of Canandaigua ; it is connected 
to the great Western Canal by a short canal, which, 
proceeding north-easterly, touches the north part of 
Cayuga Lake, and then enters the great canal at 
Montezuma. Seneca Lake is situated upon a table- 
land, which stretches from the Catskill Mountains, 
near the Hudson River, a north-westerly course, to the 
distance of nearly three hundred miles ; this table- 
land contains the Otsego Lake, whose waters flow to 
the Susquehannah River, and on whose banks is the 
pleasant village of Cooperstown. The waters of 
p 



170 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

Seneca Lake are carried by the Seneca River to the 
Oswego, a river which runs from Oneida Lake into 
Lake Ontario. 

On our road from Geneva to Auburn, we passed 
the outlet of Cayuga Lake, at the head of which, 
about forty miles distant, is Ithaca, to which place 
a steamboat carries those travellers who wish to 
visit that flourishing village. We had thought of 
taking that pleasant little tour, but our time did not 
permit. 

Vie have now been two days in Auburn, or rather 
in the vicinity, for but little of our time has been 
passed in this village. The day after our arrival, 
we rode to Skeneateles, and paid a visit to the 
family of Mr. K. in that place. 

Whether it was that the interest I felt in the peo- 
ple whom we saw there communicated beauties to 
the scenery, or whether this is indeed an earthly 
paradise, I cannot exactly say ; but indeed no spot 
which I have contemplated, since I left home, has 
seemed to me so beautiful as the country about 
Skeneateles Lake, especially that around the dwell- 
ing of Mr. K. The water of the lake looked purer, 
the foliage of the trees seemed more graceful, and 
the verdure of the fields more refreshing, than at any 
other place between that and our own delightful 
island on the Ohio. Although I was a little sus- 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 171 

picious that imagination had, with her magic pencil, 
touched the landscape with more lively colours than 
did in reality exist, I find I am not alone in ranking 
that village among the first in this region, in point of 
beautiful and picturesque scenery. 

The shores of the lake are beautifully rounded, 
and present a luxuriant vegetation : the principal 
street of the village commands a full view of this 
calm and pure sheet of water. As I stood contem- 
plating this scene, 1 was reminded of the descrip- 
tions I had read of the Cumberland lakes, in the 
north of England, particularly the Derwentwater. 

A few elegant mansions, surrounded with locust, 
weeping-willow, and elm-trees, added to the interest 
of the scene, by showing that the hand of taste and 
cultivation had been busy amid native beauty and 
elegance. 

But our visit to Mr. K.'s I must not fail to men- 
tion : it was not a commonplace one, which is for- 
gotten as soon as over. There were two young 
ladies at home, the younger of whom is near my 
age, the other two or three years older. They re- 
ceived me with an air of sincere cordiality, very dif- 
ferent from the formal politeness which is so often 
assumed by some young ladies, or the hoydenish 
familiarity of others. I felt myself at home in five 
mmutes after having entered the house. The youn^r 



172 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

ladies showed, by their conversation, that their minds 
had been highly cultivated ; they did not, indeed, tell 
me what they had studied, but I could not fail to 
perceive, from their various observations, that their 
knovvledge was extensive and thorough. And yet 
they had not the least pedantry or affectation ; in- 
deed, how unreasonable is the supposition that learn- 
ing makes people ridiculous : it is low attainments 
that cause vanity : those who climb high enough 
upon the hill of science to see the broad expanse 
which remains untravelled will naturally be modest 
and humble. 

I could mention some young ladies to whom I 
have been introduced within these two days, whose 
manners and conversation are entirely the opposite 
of the Misses K., and who, relying upon some preten- 
sions to beauty, have failed to cultivate their minds, 
the barrenness of which appears as soon as you at- 
tempt to converse with them. The Misses K. 
are too elevated in their characters to desire general 
admiration ; they are quite above being called belhs, 
a distinction which I find weak-minded girls quite 
ambitious of. Even young misses, whose age 
scarcely entitles them to be called ladies, seem in 
some instances to be infected with this love of ad- 
miration, and, like Angeline Stimpson, impatient to 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY- 173 

be hrought out, and thi-ow aside the restraints of 
teachers and parents. 

But I must not stop to tell you of all that delighted 
me in my visit to Mr. K's., and in the society of the 
interesting young ladies his daughters, though I find 
tile subject a pleasant one — for indeed, sister, it is 
much more delightful to talk or to write about people 
and things that are agreeable than to be compelled 
to find fault. But you know that it is necessary to 
discriminate between right and wrong, proper and 
improper ; and our parents have taught us, while 
they disapprove censoriousness, to be select in our 
choice of associates, to seek the society of intel- 
lectual and good people, and avoid as much as pos- 
sible those who live only for pleasure, neglectful of 
real duties and valuable attainments, and priding 
themselves upon mere beauty, wealth, or fashion. 

We have had a pleasant ride to the Owasco Lake, 
a few miles from Auburn. This is another beautiful 
sheet of water, with rich and level banks, and skirted 
with verdant fields. On the bank of this lake is 
the residence of the present governor of this state. 
His house is a low cottage-like building, furnished 
with republican simplicity. Mrs. T., with whom we 
spent a few hours, is a lady of sweet and agreeable 
manners ; and though simple and unostentatious in 
her tastes and habits, it is said she has sustained 
p 2 



174 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

\vith much eclat the rank to Vvhich she has been called 
by her husband's elevation. A lady who has seen 
her much at Albany, the seat of the state government, 
observed that she went through the routine of 
show and company which her station rendered 
necessary with as much elegance and grace as if all 
her life had been spent in the drawing-room. 

In going from Auburn to the Owasco Lake, we 
passed a pleasant farm-house, in which is kept a 
school for young misses. It has been continued for 
several years, and is said to be a safe and useful 
institution for quite young pupils. Several little girls 
Avere at play upon a grass-plat in front of the house, 
and apparently very happy. 

I must for the present leave this letter unfinished, as 
we are going with a party upon an excursion to the 
Onondaga Lake : this will occupy two days, after 
which, we shall proceed with all possible despatch 
to Utica. Adieu, then, for a short time. 



Well, Louisa, I have taken my pen to give you 
a hasty sketch of what I have seen and heard in my 
little tour to the salt-works, the Onondaga Lake, 
and Syracuse. This would have been a pleasant 
excursion, but that we were not very fortunate in 
our company. 

In the first place, the manner in which the two young 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 175 

ladies who accompanied us were dressed for a ride 
of twenty or thirty miles, appeared to me extremely 
improper — French hats and muslins, pearl orna- 
ments, elegant white silk stockings, and satin shoes 
did seem to me much out of place on the occasion ; 
especially as it would be necessary to ramble about 
in order to view those curiosities which we were 
going professedly for the purpose of examining. 

The father of the young ladies, Mr. Duncan, a 
college friend of papa's, seemed to be a sensible, 
judicious man ; but the mother was what one might 
expect from the appearance of her daughters, vain, 
uneducated, and vulgar. In possession of fortune 
which she knows not how to use, and moving in a 
sphere to which she has been unaccustomed, she 
seems afraid of not being equal to the situation in 
which she is placed, and is thus constantly over- 
acting her part ; she was, like her daughters, quite 
over-dressed for the occasion. I could not help 
contrasting her blond lace and other appendages 
with the simplicity of attire which Mrs. Perceval 
always exhibited in her riding-dress ; while for an 
evening-party she could, when she chose, exhibit 
diamonds such as are seldom seen in this country. 
I could not help asking papa how a man of Mr. 
Duncan's education and taste came to marry such 
a woman. He smiled, and said she had once been 



176 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

called very handsome ; that his friend having early 
acquired a prejudice against learned women, mar- 
lied Maria Conway, with the expectation that he 
could make her the beau ideal of his fancy ; but that 
he had found ignorance less yielding than he had 
expected, and had been wholly disappointed in his 
anticipations of domestic happiness. 

A young gentleman of much pretension, and an 
ease of manners approaching to the impudent, who 
accompanied the Duncans, seemed an object of no 
small interest to the elder of the young ladies. As 
we were about to step into our carriages, and I, of 
course, expecting to ride with papa, Mrs. D. said, 
" As the young people, Mr. Westerley, will no doubt 
fnjoy themselves best together, you will let your 
daughter ride in our carriage with my girls and Mr. 
J' airfield, while my husband and myself will accom- 
pany you." 

, Although the arrangement by no means pleased 
papa, who saw that these young people were not 
such as he should have selected for my companions, 
yet feeling the delicacy of his situation, he made no 
opposition to the arrangement, and I was accordingly 
seated by the side of Miss Catalina Duncan, while 
nej- elder sister. Miss Sally Maria, and Mr, Fairfield 
took the forward seat in the carriage. 

I was not suffered to enjoy the fine views of 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 177 

woods, liills, and waters which presented themselves 
on the road, for Miss CataUna seemed determined 
to give me no space for observation on things abroad. 
She began by asking me a thousand questions all 
in one breath ; " Had we many parties in the place 
where we lived ? were there many beaux there ? and 
did we not find it difficult to obtain fashionable dresses 
at such a distance from New-York?" &c. &c. 

She then went on to tell me how much her new 
piano cost, and what her father paid, in New- York, 
for the set of ornaments she had on. " But only 
think," said she, " that Sally Maria declares she will 
not wear hers another time, because Susan Mills, 
whose father is nothing but a shoemaker, has got 
some exactly like them." Sally Maria, who had been 
listening with much apparent complacency to the 
forward and impertinent remarks of her companion, 
hearing this last sentence, exclaimed, "Now, Catalina, 
you need not be entertaining Miss Westerley by telling 
her every thing I say, and more too ; but then it is 
true enough that I did tell you I would not wear 
any thing which was so common that a mechanic's 
daughter could afford to have it." 

" That's right," said the young gentleman, with a 
sarcastic smile, " I like to see ladies exclusive and 
ansiocratic" — Then affecting a sentimental air, he 



nS CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

continued, " But why does Miss Duncan wear orna- 
ments at all 1 has she forgotten that the poet says, 

* Beauty when unadovn'd is adorn'd the most V " 

Now Miss Sally Maria Duncan happens to be remark- 
ably plain-looking, with a flat snub nose, small gray 
eyes, a large mouth, and bad teeth, and withal having 
a very sallow, dark complexion — her figure is also 
ungraceful, being neither full and round nor tall and 
slender, but square and destitute of all symmetry. 
Yet the pretended comphment of Mr. Fairfield was 
most graciously received, though the young lady, in 
affected anger, patting him upon the shoulder, said, 
" Oh, you impudent creature, how can you flatter 
so!" 

I could not avoid feeling a degree of indignation 
at the young man, who was thus amusing himself 
at this foolish girl's expense. I had learned too that 
he had made serious advances towards the acqui- 
sition of the hand of Miss Duncan, accompanied, as 
it was to be, with some fifty or sixty thousands in 
bank stock. As I looked up, his eye met mine, as 
if he would read my thoughts of his attempt at wit. 
He probably perceived the contempt with which I 
regarded his conduct, for even his unblushing face 
seemed for a moment to glow with the consciousness 
of his own meanness, and daring the remainder of 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 17^ 

the ride, his conversation and manner were in a de*' 
gree respectful and gentlemanly. 

]\Iany circumstances conspire to render the vi- 
cinity to the Onondaga Lake interesting. Here is 
the principal part of the remnant of the Onondaga 
tribe of Indians, at a place called Onondaga Castle, 
containing between forty and fifty log huts, and 
nearly two hundred persons. This was formerly the 
seat of the grand council of the Six Nations. As 
these Indians do not appear to differ materially in their 
manner of hfe from the Senecas, of whom I wrote 
you a description from Buffalo, it is not necessary 
that I should describe our visit to them. The town 
in which they live is said to contain between 5000 
and 6000 white inhabitants ; while they, the ancient 
lords of the soil, once a great nation, are thus re^ 
duced to so small a number. 

As I perceived at a little distance a group of In-^ 
dians, apparently not belonging to the settlement^ 
lingering around the ancient burying-place of the 
nation, I was forcibly reminded of some of Bryant's 
lines, and could easily imagine them pursuing a train 
of thought like the fdlowing : 

" It is the spot I came to seek — 
My father's ancient burial-place. 
Ere from these vales, ashamed ar^l weak-, 
Withdrew our wasted rajce. 
It is the spot — I knpv/ it weil-*- 
Of which our old traditions tell. 



180 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

They waste us — ay, like April snow 
In the warm noon, we shrink away ; 
And fast they follow as we go 
Towards the setting day — 
Till they shall fill the land, and we 
Are driven into the western sea." 

The village of Syracuse is near this place ; it con- 
tains many fine modern-built brick houses. The 
hotel at which we stopped for the night is of brick^ 
four stories high. From a cupola on the top we 
had an extensive view of the surrounding country^ 
embracing Onondaga Lake, and the village of Salina,. 
which is not more than one mile distant. Between 
the two villages is a handsome court-house ; and I 
heard4t remai-ked, that should the population of these 
places increase as it has done within a few years 
past, there will undoubtedly be seen, at no distant 
period, elegant buildings extending throughout the 
whole distance. 

Salina is so called from sal, sail ; this village con- 
tains the principal salt-springs in the State, and is 
situated near the Onondaga, which is sometimes 
called the Salt Lake, from the quantity of salt waters 
around its shores, though the lake is itself pure* 
Salt is obtained from these waters either by solar 
evaporation or boiling. The vats for the evapora- 
tion of the water by the first-mentioned process are 
said to cover nearly one hundred acres. A gallon 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 181 

of water produces about one pound of salt. Besides 
salt, or the muriaie of soda, this water contains small 
portions of the muriate of lime, sulphate of lime, (he 
oxide of iron, and the sulphate of magnesia. 

The tirst salt-spring discovered here was observed 
by an Indian, from the circumstance of its being a 
favovuite resort of deer and other wild animals, who 
were fond of licking up the waters, and the soil over 
which they had passed. 

The prevailing rock in this vicinity is that kind 
of sandstone v/hich is termed by some geologists 
the saliferous or salt-bearing rock. 

The waters of the Onondaga Lake are discharged 
by an outlet into Seneca River ; this, running an 
easterly course, en.ipties into the Oswego River, which 
has its source in Oneida Lake. The Oswego then 
proceeds towards Lake Ontario, bearing the waters 
of seven lakes to mingle with those of the Ontario* 
These lakes are the Canandaigua, Seneca, Cayuga, 
Skeneateles, Onondaga, and Oneida, the waters of all 
but the first being discharged into Seneca River. 
Besides the lakes which I have mentioned, as being 
connected with Ont<»..io, there are several smaller 
ones, as Crooked Lake, which hes west of the Sen 
eca, Owasco Lake, &c. 

I hope you will not fail to examine a map of the 
State of New-Yorky and see for yourself the pecH* 
Q 



182 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

liar situation and connexion of these lakes and rivers, 
and also to point them out to our little brother. 

A canal from Salina to Oswego on Lake Ontario 
connects with this lake the great Western Canal. 
Great quantities of salt are conveyed to the lake 
by means of this canal, and from thence exported to 
Canada. We should have proceeded from Salina 
to Utica by the canal, had it not been necessary for 
papa to return to Auburn, in order to complete some 
business at this place. 

The fine ladies who accompanied us on this little 
tour, as they w^nt rather to be seen than to see, did 
not go to the salt-works, or to the Indian settlement. 
Mr. Duncan, who \ery politely attended, to show 
us the curiosities of the place, was evidently cha- 
grined that his wife and daughters exhibited no inter- 
est in these things. I heard him tell papa, that if 
he had had less money to spend, his daughters would 
have been better educated ; but that he had greatly 
erred in sending them to a very expensive boarding- 
school, in New-York, where little else was thought 
of than music, and French, and fashionable manners. 
It seems a great misfortune, suice the minds of these 
young ladies have been so wholly sacrificed to gen- 
tility, that they possess so little of it. But I am con- 
vinced, Louisa, that really polished manners cannot 
exist without mental cultivation ; and we ought to be 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 183 

ever grateful that our parents began the work of edu- 
cation with us by unfolding our intellectual powers 
and cultivating our moral principles. Certainly, the 
style of conversation and manners to which we have 
been accustomed in our own home at Pleasant Val- 
ley, to me appears much more refined and truly gen- 
teel than the frivolous discourse and bold assurance 
which seem to pass current in the circles of fash- 
ion : still I am too great a novice in these things to 
indole ; I have yet seen little of the v/orld, and may 
have been peculiarly unfortunate in the fashionables 
whom I have met. 

But go on, Louisa, in your quiet and elegant pur- 
suits, and fear not that when you shall appear in 
society you Vvill command as much real respect as 
if you had spent your youth in the most fashionable 
boarding-school in the United States. 

I know not that I shall write you again for some 
days, as we shall now proceed with little delay to 
Albany ; there we intend remaining long enough to 
see something of the society and objects of interest 
in the place, and to visit Troy, that delightful spot 
of which our friends who have been educated there 
are never tired of speaking. I believe we shall be in 
the neighbourhood about the time of the public exami- 
nation at the seminary, and I have the promise of 
being permitted to attend. Will not this be worth a 



184 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

journey from Ohio 1 If we should find our expecta- 
tions of that institution answered, perhaps papa will 
think best to place you there, after my return home. — 
Home, dear home — I have now been absent from 
it a month ; what may not have happened during 
this interval ! But I feel the necessity of commit- 
ting you all into the hands of that overruling Provi- 
dence, without whose knowledge not even a " spar- 
row falleth to the groupd.'* My anxieties can avail 
nothing ; neither can those of my absent friends in my 
behalf preserve me from dangers in journeying, from 
sickness, or misfortune : but yet, though we have no 
power to protect or preserve our distant friends, we 
have the privilege of going to One who has this power, 
and of entreating Him to watch over and to keep them. 
This is a blessed privilege, and one which is, in a great 
degree, able to allay those fearful forebodings and 
gloomy apprehensions which cffen disturb the tranquil- 
lity of the soul. When we have sincerely and de- 
voutly committed our friends to the Divine disposal, 
we can scarcely fail of resting quietly with respect 
to them — for " will not the Judge of all the earth do 
right?" 

Next to hearing about mamma, yourself, and my 
dear little brother, I want to know how Rachel is. 
Dear Rachel, how kind and patient she used to be with 
us, when we were wild and sometimes naughty chil^ 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 185 

dren, and how much she does for mamma's comfort! 
What an example of faithfulness and sobriety to 
domestics ! If we, my dear sister, discharge our 
duties in life as well as she does hers, in the station 
in which she is placed, we may enjoy the approba- 
tion of our own consciences here, and hope for tlmt 
of our Judge hereafter. 

Is our good nurse well 1 and does she remember 
me, and trouble herself about my health ? Please tell 
her that I am perfectly free from all coughs, and 
other bodily ailments. — Your affectionate sister, 

Caroline. 



Further JVotices of the Family at Pleasant Valley. 

We will now return to the family at Pleasant Val- 
ley, who, being deprived of two of its most interest- 
ing members, felt something like melancholy cloud 
their former cheerful abode. However, as Mrs. Wes- 
terley, aware that occupation was the best resource 
against ennui and anxiety, planned for herself and 
Louisa additional pursuits, they soon insensibly 
found their engagements engross too much of their 
attention to allow of useless repinings. 

Mrs. Westerley considered it a duty to superintend 
q2 



186 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

her domestic arrangements, and having been from 
her youth familiar wiih housekeeping, she was en- 
abled to order matters with such judgment and dis- 
cretion, that her servants were never confused or 
embarrassed by directions which it was impossible 
to follow. In this she had a great advantage over 
those ladies who, ignorant of the amount of time or 
labour necessary for the completion of an object, 
often give orders to servants which could not, with- 
out the aid of magic, be performed by the time or in 
the manner required. 

Besides looking to the affairs of her house, to 
which Mrs. Westerley, accompanied by Louisa, 
usually devoted the hour after breakfast, this excel- 
lent woman thought it necessary, in her husband's ab- 
sence, to take an interest in the labours of those who 
cultivated the beautiful and productive farm which 
supplied them with necessaries and comforts. She 
therefore often spoke with the labourers, encouraged 
them in their efforts, by showing them that she was 
conscious of their faithfulness, and thus every thing 
abroad went on with regularity and success. Her 
gardener, in particular, always expected a daily visit to 
his vegetable-garden, as well as to his flower-borders 
and shrubbery. Thus not only were the sumnaer- 
houses, and grottoes, and all the ornamental parts of 
the extensive pleasure-grounds kept in perfect order 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 187 

while the more humble, though more useful, kitohen- 
garden was not neglected. Much as Mrs. Wester- 
ley admired roses, carnations, flowering-almonds, tu- 
lips, hyacinths, and all ornamental plants, still more 
did she value those fruits and vegetable productions 
which, distant as they were from a public market, 
supplied the hospitable board with comforts and ele- 
gancies. 

Favoured with a fertile soil and genial climate, 
she found it not difficult to introduce into her garden 
many of the most delicious productions of more south- 
ern latitudes, ; the most luscious grapes, apricots, and 
strawberries yielded their fruits no less abundantly 
than the more hardy apple and pear ; while rasp- 
berries, gooseberries, and currants, bordering the 
hedges of her extensive garden, were in their respect- 
ive seasons seen loaded with rich clusters. Besides 
the ordinary vegetables raised for family use, Mrs. 
Westerley's table presented the most delicate aspar- 
agus, the citron-melon, cauliflower, egg-plant, celery, 
tomato, and salsafy ; and every herb useful for 
medicine or culinary purposes found a place in her 
garden, the good things of which were indeed often 
generously distributed among her less-favoured 
neighbours of Westerley Island. 

To all these things Mrs. Westerley found time to 
give some attention, as well as to direct the planting of 



188 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

shrubbery and ornamental trees. An English trav- 
eller on approaching the domain of Mrs. Westerley, 
might have said it resembled a nobleman's seat. 
And yet the overgrown fortune of a British noble, 
the assistance of architects and scientific gardeners, 
had not been employed in adorning the native beauty 
of Pleasant Valley ; but the simple and elegant taste 
of a New-England woman, directing the labours of 
unpractised husbandmen and mechanics, had given 
rise to most of the creations of fancy with N\hich the 
landscape abounded. Not but Mr. Westerley himself 
occasionally directed in these matters, but he usually 
preferred what he very politely called the superior 
judgment of his wife in things connected with 
ornament. 

The education of Louisa was resumed with much 
spirit, after the departure of her sister ; and here 
Mrs. Westerley found employment for her own exten- 
sive information, and need of all her patience and per- 
severance ; not that her daughter was either dull or 
intractable, but, on the contrary, clever and docile : 
yet the progress of mental development is neces- 
sarily slow. — " Line upon line, precept upon pre- 
cept," are necessary in impressing scientific truths 
upon the understanding, or opening it to the recep- 
tion of knowledge indispensable in a thorough edu- 
cation. There are indeed frequent instances in 
which a young mind will seem at once to seize upon 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 189 

some truth presented to it, and tlien the sparkling 
eye and glowing countenance speak the activity oi" the 
intellect, and its dehght in gaining a new idea ; but 
often and often does an instructer explain, analyze, 
and exhaust every illustration in his power, until, see- 
ing no appearance of interest or of comprehension of 
the subject in his pupil, he gives up in despair. But yel 
such seasons are not lost, for the seed which has been 
sown will oftentimes shoot forth when least expected. 

In Caroline, Mrs. Westerley saw the fruit of 
her labours ; she was already a companion and 
friend, and her fine original mind not unfrequently 
suggested to her mother new and striking ideas. 
The early disposition which she had manifested for 
reflection, strengthened and matured by a thorough 
education, had given a ripeness to her character not 
often found at her age. She endeavoured to make 
a practical use of her studies and acquirements, and 
neglected no opportunity of adding to her informa- 
tion by listening to instructive conversation, or ask- 
ing questions of older and wiser people, on all proper 
occasions. 

As will have been seen by the fore^^oing letters, 
Caroline Westerley was habitually pious, and de- 
lighted in referring the various objects in the world 
of nature to their great Creator. Piety in her had 
early put forth buds which parental care had nour- 



190 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

ished with anxiety, and many prayers for the Divine 
blessing. These buds of promise in due time had 
blossomed ; and at sixteen, Caroline professed be- 
fore t!ie world her determination, "to lead the life 
of the righteous." Unostentatious and humble, she 
was yet firm and decided in bearing her testimony 
in favour of religion. And the beautiful regularity 
of her life, her command over her own passions, and 
charity for the feelings of others, were a constant 
plea for that faith of which the works were so pure 
and heavenly. 

As to the person and manners of this young lady, 
they were by no means of an ordinary cast. She 
was not what is called beautiful ; a common observer 
might, indeed, have thought her features plain, but 
whoever paused to contemplate the fine expression 
of her countenance found much to admire, and to ex- 
cite the wish to become acquainted with the spirit 
which beamed forth with such light and beauty. 

It is, indeed, of httle consequence whether the 
complexion is fair or brown, the eyes blue or black, 
the features regular or irregular. A wax-figure may 
be moulded with the most perfect symmetry, and 
endowed with sparkling eyes, rosy cheeks, and ruby 
lips ; but who sees beauty in such a figure ? Who 
would think of loving it, of wishing to live with it, 
discourse with it, or resort to it in seasons of dis- 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 191 

tress ? So the most perfect piece of human flesh, 
moulded and rounded with all the lines of beauty, 
and possessing all the charms which the most bril- 
hant and delicate colouring united can give, must 
fail of inspiring warm and tender sentiments, when 
the soul does not speak through the eyes, glow upon 
the cheeks, and light up the countenance. 

There is a something, too, in the gestures and 
carriage, and in the mere tones of voice, which indi- 
cates mind; these indications conversation and 
actions confirm and establish. The manners of 
Caroline Westerley were not formed according to 
the artificial rules of a dancing-master, or French 
governess ; though simple and unsophisticated, they 
were graceful and elegant. A feeling of propriety 
seemed with her innate, rather than the result of 
reflection, and she appeared to do always the very 
thing which was proper, because she knew and 
thought of no other. 

But, as before remarked, the letters of this young 
lady must be permitted to develop to the reader the 
character of her mind, and her motives of action. It 
was not surprising that Louisa, who had always de- 
pended upon her sister for counsel and assistance, 
and enjoyed her society as a companion, sensibly 
felt her absence, and looked with impatience for her 
letters. 



19^ CAROLINE WESTERLET. 

To Mrs. Westerley these letters were a source 
of much interest, not only as relieving her anxiety 
for her daughter's health and satety, but as exhibiting 
her strength of character and discrimination of mmd, 
in the new situations in which she was placed. " I 
look after Caroline,'' she said in a letter to her hus- 
band, " as the parent bird, who, having patiently es- 
sayed to teach its young to fly, at length sees it 
fledged and winging its way to a distant wood, be- 
yond maternal warning or care." 

There was another member of the family at 
Pleasant Valley by whom the letters of Caroline 
were highly prized : this was her young brother, a 
lad of much sprightliness and talent. He was at 
tliis period under the especial care of the Rev. Mr. 
Hooker, a young clergyman, who, besides his duty 
as pastor of the small parish at Westerley Island, 
had undertaken the office of private tutor, and was 
now a member of the family at the mansion, — as Mr. 
Westerley's house, by way of eminence, was often 
called in the neighbourhood. 

James considered it a matter of right that he should 
be called to the parlour on the opening of the letters 
from Caroline, and he was also very fond of having 
his tutor present on these occasions, priding himself 
upon what he thought his sister's wonderful know- 
ledge and sagacity. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. I9l3 

Besides the party already named, there were two 
other persons, who, from their long residence in the 
family, and the interest felt by them in all its con- 
cerns, were often invited to hear the reading of Miss 
Caroline's letters. One of these was nurse Tomkins, 
an elderly Scotch woman, who had been with Mrs. 
Westerley from her first settlement in Ohio. Nurse 
was therefore looked upon by the children with 
much affection ; and seemed, on her part, scarcely 
less interested for them than their mother herself. 

Rachel Osgood was another person whose rela- 
tion to the family entitled her to the honour of listen- 
ing to the news from the " young traveller." This 
young woman, Vv'ho v/as considered more in the light 
of a friend than a common servant, had accompa- 
nied Mrs. Westerley at the time of her emigration - 
from Connecticut, being then but a child. That 
conscientious woman always appeared to consider 
Rachel as a sacred trust committed to her charge, 
and it was her first desire (hat she should be brought 
tip "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." 
Although her lot in life was humble, and her bene- 
factress did not think proper to exempt her from 
labour, or to raise her expectations above her situa- 
tion, yet she kept her much with her and her own 
children, taught her all the necessary branches of 
an English education, and fine as well as cocU'se 



194 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

needle-work : especially in her religious instructions 
to her children did she desire the presence and 
attention of Rachel. The fruit of this care, bestowed 
upon one of a naturally excellent disposition, appeared 
in the discretion and propriety of Rachel's conduct, 
who, though she showed no ambition to get out of 
her own sphere, still held herself above all compan- 
ionship of a low or trifling kind. Caroline and 
Louisa remembered Rachel, as one who had guarded 
their childhood, and loved and served them with 
fidelity and patience. They remembered how often 
she had restrained them, when they would have done 
wrong, by representing to their thoughtless minds 
the consequences of their mamma's displeasure, as 
well as the real evil of bad conduct, and the manner 
in which it was viewed by God. It was natural that 
they should love and respect this kind and faithful 
girl, and so much had they been accustomed to ask 
her advice and direction, that as they grew older 
they still felt themselves in some degree responsible 
to her, as to an elder sister, and Rachel's opinion 
never failed to be regarded by them with attention. 

Mrs. Westerley often remarked, that she felt 
scarcely less affection for Rachel than for her own 
children ; if Rachel was ill, Mrs. Westerley would 
herself nurse her, and watch her symptoms with all 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 195 

a mother's solicitude. In return for this, the kind- 
hearted and grateful girl loved her benefactress with 
even more than a daughter's devotion. She enter- 
tained for her a respect bordering on veneration, and 
her first eartlily object was the promotion of her 
comfort and happiness. If Mrs. Westerley at any 
time looked anxious or unhappy, Rachel was sad ; 
when her benefactress was cheerful, the very birds 
could not be happier than Rachfl. Indeed, she 
seemed to be a kind of thermometer, by which the 
whole family were able, without seeing their mistress, 
to measure the elevation or depression of her spirits. 

Never was Rachel known to tire when : ttending 
upon Mrs. Westerley, in health or s ckness ; and 
often, on occasions of the latter, would she watch at 
her bedside night after night, refusing all offers of 
assistance, desiring neither food nor repose while she 
suffered. 

We will now imagine this famly 'roup assembled 
in the little family parlour to hear the letters of 
Caroline. 

Mrs. Westerley is yet youthful in her appearance, 
although years and deep thought have added to the 
natural pensiveness of her countenance. Rut time 
has not yet laid its t>osty hand upon one of her dark 
brown tresses, or faded the bloom upon her cheeks ; 
her eloquent eye, beaming with a mother's pride, reveals 



196 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

the feelings of interest with which she regards both 
the letter to be read and the young and interesting 
Louisa, who is to be the reader of it. Louisa, seated 
at the centre table, holding the letter in her hand, 
casts her eye around the room, as if to see that all 
who are invited are present. She is about fourteen, 
her stature rather smUl for her age, and the ex- 
pression of her face seems to vary between the glee 
and vivacity of childhood, and the more sober re- 
flections of maturer years. 

Master James has taken a seat upon the sofa by 
the side of his mother, and seems waiting with im- 
patience for Louisa to begin to read ; while his tutor, 
a thoughtful and reserved man, who had come to 
the parlour to gratify his little pupil, shows, by an air 
of abstraction, that his thoughts are not very deeply 
interested in the scene before him. 

Nurse Tomkins, with her clean checked apron, 
and her plain cambric cap, has entered the room 
and seated herself in that part of it which she con- 
siders least conspicuous and honourable ; and Rachel 
Osgood, with characteristic humility, mingled with 
affection, has taken a chair which stood near the 
sofa on which Mrs. "VYesteiley sat, and removed it 
to what she feels to be a suitable distance, a little in 
the rear, yet so that she has a full view of the ex- 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 197 

pression of that fine countenance which to her ex- 
presses all that is kind, noble, and good. 

Upon a signal from her mother, Louisa opened 
her sister's letter ; but before she commenced read- 
ing, she remarked, in a sprightly tone, " The object 
of this meeting is probably understood by all present 
to be the examination of a manuscript just received 
from a ' traveller in the east,' alias Caroline Wes- 
terley, from whose profound remarks upon persons 
and things it is hoped we may all derive instruction, 
especially the wild and thoughtless giil for whose 
instruction the scroll is more especially written." 

Although this was said with apparent gayety, it was 
evident that the sensitive heart of the young speaker 
was touched by deep and tender sentiments ; for 
when she began to read, her voice faltered, and she 
found it necessary to cough several times, to clear 
her throat of something that seemed to choke her ; 
while the tears that rushed unbidden to her eyes, 
were hastily brushed away, as if to pre/ent their 
being observed. 

The letter read on this occasion was Caroline's 
first epistle, which was dated from Buffalo ; the 
young reader, by referring to it, may judge of the 
effect it produced upon the different persons assem- 
bled in Mrs. Westerley's parlour. We will merely 
remark, that Caroline's mother was well satisfied 
R 2 



198 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

with her daughter's hehaviour in the affair with the 
Stimpsons, which, from her knowledge of the world, 
she considered a very natural occurrence ; while 
Louisa was indignant and astonished at the thought 
that there were any persons in the world who would 
not know at first sight that her sister was entitled 
by rank and education to the first and best society. 
These fashionables were to her a new and nonde- 
script race of bi;)eds ; for, as there were none in 
their vicinity, or within their circle of acquaintance, 
who ever thought of cidiing the Westerleys (to use 
the technical term), they on their part were entirely 
above insolence or arrogance to their inferiors. 

Master James was much interested in the ex- 
planations his sister had given with respect to the 
operations of tteam, and asked his tutor if he could 
not help him to construct a small steam-engine, which, 
with the help of the blacksmith and carpenter, might 
be carried into rperation, and made to move a tiny 
little boat which he had just f;ni.-hed for navigating 
Trout Pond in the garden. He thought if this could 
be done, wl.en his father returned he might obtain 
permission to have a small steamboat made for going 
up and down Lake Winderm.ere, so that he might 
occasionally give his mother and sisters, and the 
visiters of Westerley Island, a sail upon its beautiful 
and picturesque lake. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY, 199 

Mr. Hooker, ns he arose to leave the parlour, re- 
marked to Mrs. Westerley, with a studied precision of 
pronunciation and manner, " Miss Caroline's letter, 
considering her age and sex, is certainly a respectable 
performance ; its greate-t defect is a want of the 
unities of composition, which the ancients prescribed, 
and which modern critics of classical attainments 
still insist on, notwithstanding the innovations that 
some loose writers have attempted to introduce. 
The young lady is, moreover, too discursive in her 
style, a circumstance Avhich detracts from its ner- 
vousness ; this, however, is a common fault among 
female writers, who seem disposed to follow the 
suggestions of nature, instead of the rules of criticism. 
But considering the natural feebleness of the female 
intellect, great credit is due to the industry of many 
women of the present day in respect to literary at- 
tainments." As the Rev. Mr. Hooker made this 
remark, he bowed respectfully to Mrs. Westerley, 
as if making a personal application of the compliment, 
and then laying aside his magisterial tone and man- 
ner, he added, with the voice of one who speaks 
from the heart, " I desire, my dear madam, to bless 
God that your lovely daughter appears still to cherish 
a lively sense of her religious obligations." 

The old nurse, availing herself of a pause in the 
conversation occasioned by the departure of Mr. 



200 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

Hooker and his pupil, said, as she stood with her 
hand upon the door-latch, "I woonder Miss Caroline 
didna tell us whether she got ony cold in ganging 
upon the lake, and if she has a coomfortable bed^ and 
gude whulesome food to eat at Buffalo, and whether 
the finger that she burnt in her foolish kamikal sj)em- 
ments with posfurious* has got weeU^ 

Rachel Osgood, who had listened attentively to 
Caroline's letter, had felt hurt and surprised that one 
so kind and gentle should have met with unkindness 
from any of her fellow-passengers. Rachel had 
been affected even to tears by Caroline's tender 
remembrances of home. 

As a literary performance, Caroline's letter ap- 
peared to the humble Rachel very extraordinary ; 
and she had seen, too, that Mrs. Westerley's coun- 
tenance betokened approbation of her daughter's 
performance, — poor Rachel's dismay was, therefore, 
not slight, when she heard Mr. Hooker utter his 
criticisms, not only upon poor Caroline, but the 
whole body of female scribblers eu ma&se. Perceiv- 
ing, however, by a quick and anxious glance at the 
calm features of Mrs. Westerley, that these remarks 
caused no other change of her countenance than a 
sUght smile, which, though for an instant visible, was 

* It is supposed that the old nurse alluded to a chymical ex- 
periment with phosphorua. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 201 

immediately succeeded by her usual gravity; she 
was satisfied that although herself unable to defend 
Caroline, and female writers generally, the objections 
of Mr. Hooker were by no means of so fearful and 
unanswerable a character as she had at first appre- 
hended. 

The truth was, that Mrs. Westerley, having seen 
the strong bias of this gentleman's mind against the 
belief now becoming in some degree common, that 
the female mind is not, in its organization, in all 
respects, below that of the other sex, considered it 
as the more dignified course to remain silent on the 
subject, while she continued her eflTorts to cultivate 
the minds of her daughters, trusting in the ultimate 
success of her experiments, rather than the power of 
arguments, to overcome a prejudice injurious not less 
to mankind in general than the interests of those 
more directly concerned. Not that this lady be- 
heved the same field for literary attainment and 
literary effort was to be alike cultivated by both 
sexes. She knew that there was some truth in Mr. 
Hooker's remark, respecting the tendency of female 
writers to depart from the severe rules of composition, 
and to follow the vagaries of their own fancies ; and 
while she wished this to be checked by such studies 
as would disciphne the mind to habits of logical rea- 
soning, she at the same time felt that for many of 



202 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

the flowers of literature the world were indebted to 
her sex — that while men of strong minds were toiling 
to dig at the roots of science and letters, many wo- 
men of talents were successfully employed in col- 
lecting the blossoms and fruit, and presenting these 
to the young in a manner to please their imaginations 
and invite their tastes. 

Our young readers, having now taken a glance at 
the group who usually assembled to hear the letters 
which this volume presents to them, will doubtless 
be impatient to follow the *' young traveller" to the 
end of her journey, — they will wish to hear what 
she had to say of Utica, Albany, and Troy ; and 
especially of the great American city which lies at 
the mouth of the Hudson. 

Perhaps some who read these letters may feel a 
wish personally to become acquainted with the 
young lady who exerted herself to write so much 
for the entertainment and instruction of her sister. 
Should this privilege not be permitted them, they can 
enjoy the pleasure of contemplating her features as 
delineated in the portrait which the publishers of her 
letters have caused to be engraved for the gratifi* 
cation of their juvenile readers. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 203 



LETTER XI. 

Utica, August — , 1832. 
My dear Sister, 

Before entering upon any of the particulars rela- 
tive to my journey from Auburn to Utica, I must 
tell you how delighted I was to find at this place 
letters from home. Mamma's was full of good 
counsel and encouragement, and gives me the de- 
lightful assurance that she is in health, and finds her 
time too much occupied to indulge in excessive 
anxiety for her absent husband and daughter. I am 
also greatly pleased to learn from mamma, that you, 
my dear Louisa, are making good progress in your 
studies, and especially that the too great disposition 
to leave useful and solid reading for works of a light 
and amusing cast, which has sometimes occasioned 
our parents to feel solicitous for you, appears to be 
in a degree overcome. 

One day's ride brought us from Auburn to Utica. 
Contrary to our intentions, we have been induced 
by the many objects of interest in the vicinity to re- 
main here longer than we had intended. We have 



204 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

visited the village of Clinton, which contains Hamilton 
College, and made a pleasant call at the house of 
Dr. Davis, the venerable president of that institution. 
Clinton is about nine miles from Utica ; the road 
between the two places is fine, and the appearance 
of tiie latter is such as to inspire ideas of rural quiet 
and enjoyment. There has been for many years a 
female school, of considerable celebrity, kept here 
by the Misses R. The situation of the school is 
pleasant, and I should think must be healthful. From 
Clinton we rode a few miles north-westerly to Rome^ 
which is situated near the head-waters of the Mo- 
hawk. Here was old Fort Stanwix, built by the 
British in 1758 ; this was during the period of what 
is often called the •' old French War," when the 
American colonies were engaged with England in- 
a war against the French and Indians. Canada 
was, you know, originally settled by French emi- 
grants, and was therefore considered by the King of 
France as belonging to his dominions. The Cana- 
dians, upon any difficulty with the English colonies, 
usually stirred up against them the Indians, who, 
dwelling around the lakes, were on the frontiers of 
both settlements. The erection of forts near the 
French and Indian settlements was very necessary, 
in order to protect the neighbouring English inhabit- 
ants from being massacred by their ferocious ene- 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 205 

mies. Fort Stanwix was built at an expense to the 
British government of nearly three hundred thousand 
dollars. The fort at Oswego had, a short time pre- 
vious to the building of this, been taken by the 
French under the Marquis de Montcalm, who had 
by this acquisition gained command of the lakes 
Ontario and Erie, and the whole territory inhabited 
by the Six Nations of Indians. These events were 
soon followed by the taking of Quebec by the Eng- 
lish under General Wolf, who was mortally wounded 
just as the victory was decided in his favour. You 
will remember the interest we took in reading an 
account of this in our American History, as well as 
of the last moments of the heroic Montcalm, the 
French commander, who died rejoicing that he 
** should not live to see the surrender of Quebec." 
The taking of Quebec being soon followed by the 
surrender of Canada to the English, and the peace 
of 1763, by which France resigned her territories east 
of the Mississippi, the forts which had been erected 
at so great an expense were suffered by the English 
to fall into ruins. In the war of the Revolution Fort 
Stanwix was rebuilt ; it now presents nothing but a 
heap of rubbish, situated near the village of Rome, 
between the waters of the Mohawk and those of 
Wood Creek, a small stream which runs westerly 



206 CAROLINE WESTERLEY* 

into the Onondaga River, by which it communicates 
with Oneida Lake. 

It is said that an idea formerly prevailed, that 
large quantities of money had in the early days of 
the country been buried under the fort, and much 
labour has been at different times devoted to digging 
for this hidden treasure. 

Rome does not, like the ^^ imperial city,''^ stand 
upon seven hills, but is pleasantly situated upon a 
level table-land, commanding an extensive view of 
the surrounding country. I regretted that we had 
not time to visit the Oneida Lake, which is said to 
be a beautiful sheet of water, about twenty miles long, 
and abounding with a great variety of fish of the 
most delicious kind. 

I was told that at a certain season of the year, the 
Indians say the " lake is in blossom, and the water 
full of fever and ague seeds." The blossoming of the 
lake was thus explained : — myriads of small butter- 
flies, principally white, are said to be produced in the 
swamps and low grounds which border the lake. 
These insects on adventurous wing, rising into 
the air, and impelled towards the lake by the 
slightest breezes, becoming weary and unable to re- 
gain the shore, fall with outspread wings upon the 
surface of the water, which appears at a distance as 
if whitened with Nympheae, or wliite pond-lily. The 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 207 

water of the lake when taken up in a tumbler appears 
pure and transparent, but if closely examined is 
found to be full of small particles, which are in 
reality the eggs of insects ; and which, though they 
may be innocent of producing fever and ague, no 
person would wish to drink. 

The principal remnant of the Oneida tribe of In- 
dians Uve at a place not far distant from the lake, 
called Oneida Castle. These Indians are said to 
have made considerable progress in Christianity and 
the arts of civilized lite. A gentleman at Rome 
told us that he accompanied the late Bishop Hobart 
a few years since on a pastoral visit to these people, 
who have formed themselves into a regular church 
of the Episcopal order. Several of the chiefs and 
others of the Oneidas, at some distance from their 
village, met the bishop and his suite, and accompa- 
nied them to their neat church, which was crowded 
with the assembled Indians. One of the tribe, 
Eleazar Williams, who had been educated for the 
ministry, was ordained deacon, and nearly thirty of 
the Indians received confirmation. Prayers were 
read in the Oneida language, and several of the 
chiefs spoke in answer to the address of the bishop. 
How very interesting must have been the appear- 
ance of these tawny children of the forest, and rem- 
pant of a heathen people, bending in prayer before 



208 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

the " one living and true God," and singing hymns 
to his praise ; for who could but be impressed with 
the contrast of these exercises to the pagan rites 
and savage yells which had thus given place to the 
pure worship and gentle influences of Christianity. 

But I must hasten from the interesting objects in 
this region ; I cannot indulge myself as I would 
like, had I time sufficient for the description, in 
dwelling upon the scenery about Trenton Falls, or 
in informing you of the plants, minerals, and petri- 
factions which I have treasured up as mementoes of 
my delightful visit to this spot. These falls are 
situated upon West Canada Creek, a branch of the 
Mohawk, and present a series of cascades, the 
principal of which has a perpendicular fall of about 
fifty feet. The scenery about these falls cannot fail 
of pleasing all whom nature has power to interest. 
The lover of the subhme can find enough to admire 
in the towering precipices, the craggy and broken 
sides of the creek, and the dashing and foaming of 
the waters ; the beautiful is exhibited in the graceful 
foliage of the trees, the rainbow, and the white spray 
which wreathes its misty columns in gentle undula- 
tions ; the geologist here sees the rock strata uncov- 
ered to his view, and the mysteries of past ages, with 
the changes they have produced upon the surface of 
the globe, unfolded and explained. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 209 

I shuddered as, walking upon the verge of the 
precipice, I recollected that a few yeajs since a 
young lady was precipitated into the abyss below, as 
unexpectedly as would at that moment have been to 
me the same catastrophe. This young lady was a 
Miss Suydam, of the city of New-York, who was 
visiting the falls with a party of friends, from one of 
whom I have heard the particulars of the accident. 
It seems she was speaking but a moment before her 
fall to some of her companions, who, startled by the 
sound of a heavy splash, looked to the water, where, 
to their consternation they beheld a part of the dress 
of their lovely young friend rising to its surface ; 
they could scarcely believe the horrid truth, and 
their eyes vainly sought her light form upon the spot 
where they had seen her but a moment since. Had 
she not been instantly killed by the violence of the 
fall, it would have been impossible to have saved her 
from drowning, amid so turious and rapid a torrent. 
The cause of this melancholy accident is not known, 
but it is supposed that, venturing too near the brow 
of the precipice, the young lady became dizzy and 
lost her balance. Truly may we say that " in the 
midst of life we are in death." 

A lady whom I met at Trenton Falls spoke of 
this place as having been chosen by a celebrated 
female novel writer as the theatre of one of her 
s2 



210 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

most important incidents. But the lady thought, 
and it appeared to me very justly, that the author of 
Clarence (the work in which Trenton Falls makes 
so conspicuous a figure) made her heroine commit 
a great impropriety in sending her out late in the 
evening to walk alone upon the brow of the preci- 
pice, especially as she supposes the place to be at 
this time thronged with strangers, who had come to 
view its romantic scenery. 

I suspect that papa would not have viewed the 
thing in a very pleasant light, if 1 had stolen out 
the night we staid at the inn near the falls, and wan- 
dered about alone, in order to indulge in the reveries 
of fancy which such a scene under such circum- 
stances might have inspired. 

Utica is a very busy place, — in the number of its 
inhabitants it is said to be nearly equal to Rochester 
and to Troy. Rapid as has been its growth, Roches- 
ter has far exceeded it in this respect ; for the former 
was already a flourishing village while the latter was 
a wilderness. In the year 1800 it is said there 
were but a few scattered buildings at Utica ; it now 
contains about ten thousand inhabitants. This city 
stands upon the south side of the Mohawk, and op- 
posite to old Fort Schuyler ; by the canal route it is 
one hundred and ten miles from Albany, and two 
hundred and fifty-three from Buffalo. The canal 



CAROLINE WESTKRLEY. 211 

here is four hundred and twenty-five feet higher than 
at Albany ; it passes through the city, and is crossed 
by twelve bridges. The amount of business brought 
to this place by means of the canal is very great ; it 
is said that not much less than one million of dollars 
are paid annually in tolls to the state collector by the 
canal-boats wliich arrive at this place and depart 

from it. 

I am now to put our trunks in order for travellmg, 

as we leave here in the morning. 

Your affectionate sister, 

Caroline. 



LETTER XII. 

Albany, August — , 1832. 

My DEAR Sister, 

I am now on the banks of the noble Hudson, and 
in fine lodgings in the good Dutch city of Albany ; 
but, according to my custom, I must retrace my 
journey in order to bring you with me. 

I had not yet travelled on the Erie Canal. TVTien 
at Utica we went on board the packet-boat which 
was to take us to Schenectady. Every thing about 



212 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

the cabins had an appearance of neatness and even 
of domestic comfort ; and after a Httle flourish of 
music as we left the wharf, we were soon as quiet 
as if we had been in our own parlour. I had been 
induced, by invitations from some books and papers 
which were lying upon a table in the ladies' cabin, 
to seat myself and commence reading ; but papa, 
tapping me gently on the shoulder, said, half-smi- 
lingly and half-reproachfully, " I did not expect, my 
daughter, to see you thus neglec ing to view the 
country through which we are passing, and to ob- 
serve the persons and things around you, for the 
sake of reading books inferior to what you may find 
in our own library at home. Indeed, Caroline," said 
he, " much as I have ever encouraged in you a taste 
for \eading and literature generally, I should be 
sorry to see this taste carried so far as to cause you 
to neglect any opportunities for learning by your 
own actual observation. What is gained from books 
is but second-hand information; what we derive 
primarily from the study of real objects is peculiarly 
our own, and gives tone and character to our minds. 
Indeed, books are valuable but as they assist us 
in our observations ; and when we cease to make 
use of our own powers, and amuse ourselves 
wholly with the speculations of others, we are in 
danger of becoming mere ciphers in existence* 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 213 

Travelling can only be made useful when the 
mind is active to observe passing scenery and 
passing events : we should never fail to watch the 
character of man in his various conditions, and this 
with even closer scrutiny than the material world ; for, 
noble as is the latter, and full of amusement and 
instruction, yet the former, as showing our own na- 
ture, is to us an object of still greater interest." 

Papa, then taking my arm, walked with me upon 
the deck of the boat, and pointed out to me various 
spots, interesting from their historical associations, or 
native beauties. 

We were at this time passing through the Ger- 
man Flats, a level and fertile plain of alluvial land, 
watered by the Mohawk. Here was formerly Fort 
Herkimer, which is spoken of in American history ; 
and here the brave General Herkimer was killed in 
attempting to march with a body of militia to the re- 
lief of Fort Stanwix (now Rome), which was then 
invested by the British and savages, under General 
St. Leger. With this officer fell four hundred 
brave men, who were suddenly surprised by an am- 
buscade. This event occurred in the war of the 
Revolution, and was soon followed by the taking of 
the British General Eurgoyne near Saratoga, with 
the large army under his command. 

The plan of Burgoyne had encouraged the British 



214 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

ministry with the hope that they should soon con- 
quer the rebellious colonies, while it had filled the 
colonists themselves with terror and dismay. This 
plan was the making a descent fiom Canada, through 
the country to New- York city : this was to be per- 
formed at the same time by St. Leger and Burgoyne, 
though in different directions ; the former with his 
force was to proceed down the St. Lawrence to Os- 
wego on Lake Ontario, and to pass from thence by 
land to Fort StanwLx and Albany ; the latter was to 
sail down Lake Champlain, and march across the 
country to join St. Leger at Albany, from whence 
the whole force was to proceed to New-York, and 
there join Sir Henry Clinton, who then had posses- 
sion of that city. 

Notwithstanding the success of the British, in 
cutting off General Herkimer and the militia under 
him, yet when their Indian allies heard that General 
Schuyler had despatched forces from Albany to op- 
pose them, they became mutinous, and compelled 
St. Leger to abandon his advantages, and make his 
way back from Fort Stanwix to Montreal. 

Although T had read of these events, I never be- 
fore so realized that they were actual occurrences, as 
when papa pointed out the place where General 
Herkimer was surprised, and at a little distance th^ 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 215 

tillage on the Mohawk which is still called by his 
name. 

We soon reached Little Falls, and here a new 
and unexpected scene broke upon me ; it is im- 
possible to describe the wildness and picturesque 
appearance of this spot, which more than realized 
all I had ever fancied of the deep Highland glens 
of Scotland, or the chasms of the Andes. Lockport, 
the Genesee, and Trenton Falls faded from my 
mind before the deep and awfijl ravine through which 
the Mohawk here forces its way, and through which 
the art and industry of man have made a road and 
canal. Owing to the delay of our boat in passing 
locks, we were allowed some time for rambling about 
in this romantic spot, invested with towering moun- 
tains, whose inaccessil)le sides were either covered 
with lofty trees, or presented bold and frowning preci- 
pices of naked rocks. 

There are at Little Falls six locks ; there being 
within twelve miles a descent in the canal towards 
the mouth of the Mohawk of about fifty feet. An 
aqueduct bridge of marble, over the Mohawk, iiere 
connects the Erie Canal with an old canal of four 
or five miles long, which passes from the village of 
Little Falls to the town of Herkimer. 

The rocks at this place are of sandy gneiss ; this 
is the first rock of the primitive formation which 



216 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

occurs between Lake Erie and the Mohawk, except 
as occasional large stones or fragments of granite 
gneiss, or mica slate, called boulders, may be found 
apparently separated from their original stratum. 
According to the "Geological Survey," in going 
from Utica to Little Falls the canal passes suc- 
cessively over several rocks of the secondary class, 
some of the transition, and finally at the latter place 
it is for some distance carried through a primitive 
mountain of gneiss, which has been excavated for 
the purpose. The ridge of gneiss, soon disappears 
under rocks of a newer formation, and again rises 
to view in a lofty point called Anthony's Nose, more 
than twenty miles distant from Little Falls. 

You are not to suppose, my dear sister, that the 
deck of a canal-boat is one of the most safe and 
quiet places in the world, for we are here subject 
to a very disagreeable annoyance, owing to the 
frequent recurrence of bridges upon the canal, 
under which the boats must pass; these bridges 
ai-e not usually raised so high as to permit persons 
who may be on the deck of the boat to stand, or 
in many cases even to sit upright, so that it is 
necessary to be on the look-out, in order to prevent 
accident. The most interesting conversations are 
in some degree disturbed by the consciousness of a 
liability to have our necks broken if we do not per- 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 217 

ceive the next bridge in time to stoop. Is there not 
in this, Louisa, an analogy to human hfe ? When 
we ai-e most happy, we are often most unconscious 
of the dangers which may be before us ; we are too 
much interested in our own feelings, too well satisfied 
with ourselves, to think of the necessity there is of 
bending to circumstances ; and often by holding our 
heads up, we get a severe thumping, which a little 
humility would have saved us from. 

Notwithstanding the bridges, I highly enjoyed 
our canal journey. I had the honour of being intro- 
duced by papa to a distinguished naval officer in the 
United States' service. I was greatly interested by 
the accounts he gave of the various parts of the world 
he had at different times visited ; he had explored 
the ruins of ancient Egypt and Greece, had been on 
familiar terms with the Bashaw of Tunis, and taken 
coffee with the Grand Seignior of Turkey. The 
various ports of the Mediterranean were familiar 
scenes to him, and he described the natural beauties 
of that region, with many of its scientific character- 
istics, like a poet and philosopher. I could fill my 
letter with the interesting and instructive remarks 
with which his conversation abounded ; but I have 
already said enough to show you what I should have 
lost had I sat in the cabin, moping over a book 
whose contents would m a great degree have beett 

T 



218 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

effaced from my mind by the next work which came 
in my way. But the various historical incidents 
connected with the country through which we passed, 
or the facts bearing a relation to these incidents 
which papa spoke of in connexion with them, to- 
gether with what I gleaned from the conversation 
of others, all are now impressed upon my mind as 
living truths, because connected with objects which 
have been presented to my senses ; or, if you will 
allow me to be a little metaphysical, because they 
are associated with things and persons who were the 
objects of y>ercep/io?i, rather thano^ conception merely. 
A warm night passed in a crowded canal-boat is 
not without its trials and inconveniences. The 
crying of children, the fretting of impatient women, 
and complaints of the infirm, disputes of ladies of 
consequence with the consequential chambermaid, 
the occasional drawing aside the curtains which 
divide the gentlemen's from the ladies' cabins, and 
popping in of the head of some husband, father, or 
brother, to see if the lady of their charge is suitably 
attended to, — all these are things which subtract some- 
thing from the pleasure of travelling ; they interrupt 
that serenity of mind with which it should be our en- 
deavour to close our eyes, after the offering up of the 
" evening sajciifice." There were a few among my 
£Vlld'r-piasseng'r/s v/ho, before retiring to rest, read 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 219 

in their pocket-bibies, and dared to seem engaged in 
their devotions. 

The novehy of being floated along upon the water, 
while I lay reposing in bed, together with occasional 
disturbances in the cabin, did something towards ren- 
dering me wakeful, but my thoughts were more than 
usually busy with hom.e ; I landed the group as 
seen in our little parlour kneeling at evening prayer, 
and the sweet'voice of my dear mother imploring the 
blessing of God upon her absent ones, and com- 
mending them to his holy care and keeping. 

Should I ever again kneel at that beloved family 
altar, where the purest affections of love and grati- 
tude were mingled and offered up as incense- to the 
" Giver of every good and perfect gift ?' Should I 
ever again enjoy a mother's care, and share with a 
beloved sister in all my enjoyments and anxieties 1 
These and similar thoughts held my eyes waking 
till a late hour, when, sinking into forgetfulness, I lay 
till the beams of morning, darting in at the windows 
of our cabin, roused me to recollection. The first 
thought which arose was, that I was in our own de- 
lightful chamber at Pleasant Valley, and I turned to 
bid good morning to my sweet sister ; but the sight 
of strange faces around me, and the remark from 
a lady passenger, who was just rising from her berth, 
that we should soon be at Schenectadv, reminded 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

me of my real situation, and that papa might ah-eady 
be impatient to have me enjoying with him the 
beauties of a fine morning, and the scenery which 
the shores of the canal might present. I dressed 
myself in haste, and though my accommodations 
were not such as my own chamber would have 
afforded, I met with no great difficulty in making my 
morning toilet to my satisfaction. I found papa 
walking upon deck, and was informed that we were 
very near Schenectady ; he told me that we had 
passed no scenery of peculiar interest during the 
preceding night; though at a few miles back we 
might in the daytime have seen in the distance the 
site of Johnstown, celebrated as the residence of Sir 
William Johnston, whose name is connected with 
the early history of our country. He was, said 
papa, a native of Ireland, and came to this country 
with his uncle. Sir Peter Warren. The latter was 
the British commodore who was sent with a fleet at 
the breaking out of the old French war of 1744, to 
assist the colonists in their attempts to take Louis- 
bourg, the capital of Cape Breton Island, from the 
French. Commodore Warren, having married a 
lady of New- York, purchased large tracts of land 
upon the Mohawk River, and gave them in charge 
to his nephew. The latter went to reside upon these 
possessions, where, surrounded wholly by an Indian 



, 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 221 

population, he cultivated their acquaintance, and made 
himself familiar with their language and customs. 
His influence over the savages was very great, while 
at the same time he possessed in a high degree the 
confidence of the colonists. To the latter he often 
rendered essential services by negotiating for them 
with his Indian friends and allies. 

In 1764 he concluded a treaty with the Senecas, 
at his own house, called Johnston Hall, where he 
appeared in the double office of " Colonel of the 
Six Nations," and " English agent for Indian affairs' 
in the northern parts of America." 

He is said to have published a very valuable com- 
munication on the " Customs, Manners, and Lan- 
guages of the North American Indians." I should 
hke much to read this, as his advantages were great 
for understanding the subject, and this at a period 
when the Indians had not substituted for all that was 
great and heroic in their character, the debasing 
vices which, without the civilization of the whites, 
they had learned of them. 

I was interested by the anecdotes which papa 
related of Sir William Johnston ; I can now only 
mention the following : — The baronet, having re- 
ceived from England some elegant suits of military 
clothes trimmed with gold lace, treated his friend 
Hendricks, a Mohawk chief, with a sight of them. 
t2 



222 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

The Mohawk was delighted with their shining appear- 
ance, and could not help thinking how well his fine and 
erect muscular figure would look in a suit of these 
clothes. The next day he returned to Sir William, 
and with much gravity of demeanour informed him that 
he had the preceding night, dreamed of having re- 
ceived from him the present of a gold-laced suit. Sir 
William, not deeming it politic to remain blind to the 
interpretation of a vision so solemnly communicated 
by a chief who had many warriors at his command, 
very politely begged him to accept a suit of the 
clothes. Shortly after tliis, the baronet waited on 
the Indian monarch, and informed him that he had 
dreamed he had given him a tract of several thou- 
sand acres of land. " Well," said the chief, " you 
must have the land ; but now. Sir William, I never 
dream with you again, — you dream too hard for me." 

In the French war, Sir W. Johnston was ap- 
pointed to command the provincial troops of New- 
York ; he distinguished himself at Lake George, by 
repelling the Canadian and Indian forces, and taking 
their general, the Baron Dieskau, prisoner. Among 
other oflicers who were killed at this engagement 
was Hendricks, the Indian chief, who, with his war- 
riors, fought under Johnston. 

In 1759, four years after the success of Johnston 
at Lake George, he commanded the provincial troops 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 223 

under General Prideaux, in an expedition against 
Fort Niagara, then in possession of the French. 
The commander-in-chief being killed, Johnston 
succeeded him ; he took the fort, and made six 
hundred prisoners of war. This was at the time 
a very important conquest, as it broke off communi- 
cation between the French at Canada with the French 
territories of Louisiana. The next year after the 
taking of Niagara, which soon was followed by the 
fall of Quebec, saw the English forces combi- 
ning against Montreal, now the stronghold of the 
French in Canada. General Johnston appeared at 
Oswego with one thousand Indians of the Six Na- 
tions under his command, and waited for orders 
from the British general, until he found there would 
be no call for his services : for the French governor 
De Vaudreuil, not choosing to encounter the formida- 
ble force which the British general Amherst was 
about to bring against him, surrendered Montreal, 
without attempting any opposition. 

Sir William Johnston, who was greatly attached to 
England, died a short time before the war which sepa- 
rated the country of his birth from that of his adop- 
tion. He directed a large sum of money to be 
given in legacies to his Indian friends of the Mo- 
hawk tribe, to all of whom, even the children, was 
given mourning to wear for their benefactor. 



224 CAROLIiNE WESTERLEY. 

Sir John Johnston succeeded to his father's title, 
and was appointed major-general in his place ; but 
at the commencement of the Revolutionary war, he 
removed into Canada, persuading the Mohawks to 
accompany him. Unnatural as it may seem, he 
afterward led these very Indians to ravage and de- 
stroy his own possessions and the neighbouring settle- 
ments. In 1798 he was, by the British Parliament, 
made Governor of Upper Canada. 

A young lady of Johnstown whom I have met at 
Albany, tells me that the " Ilall" is still remaining ; 
it is an old stone house, and now presents little to 
betoken the stirring interest and important events 
of which it was once the theatre. " A descendant 
of Sir William," said the young lady, " has recently 
visited our village : he is a foolish, dissipated young 
man, with nothing of the properties of his dis- 
tinguished ancestor but the licentiousness which un- 
fortunately darkened the noble features of his char- 
acter." 

You may well suppose, my dear sister, that this 
sketch of Sir W. Johnston's life, connected as it 
was with important historical events, occupied us till 
our boat had reached its destination; indeed I had 
to beg papa, while seated at breakfast at Schenectady, 
to finish the story, which I have attempted to render 
interesting to you, but yet you have never passed 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 225 

within sight of the old stone house of the Johnstons ; 
you have never beheld the ancient possessions of 
the Mohawks, or travelled for hours by the side of 
the river which still bears their name, and how can I 
expect you will feel the lively interest in stories con- 
nected with all this scenery that I do ? And yet it 
seems, Louisa, as if it would be much the same thing 
for you to hear of them from me as if you had seen 
them with your own eyes. Papa says, that when we 
are again at home, he will read to us a work by 
Paulding, called the " Dutchman's Fireside," in 
which Johnston makes a conspicuous figure, and 
which contains some fine descriptions of the scenery 
of this region. 

Of Schenectady I have not time to say much, 
even if I had the materials. We only staid here long 
enough to take our breakfast, and then proceeded by 
the railroad to Albany. 

I will merely remark of Schenectady, that I am 
informed it is one of the oldest Dutch settlements in 
the state ; that in 1690 it was surprised by a party 
of French and Indians from Canada, who mas- 
sacred the inhabitants and destroyed their dwellings. 
There is now little in the aspect of the place to 
recommend it to a stranger ; the inns appeared 
crowded and comfortless — stages coming and going, 



226 CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 

crowds of canal passengers arriving and depart- 
ing, dogs barking, and coachmen and canal-men 
swearing, seemed to make up the tout enseinhle of the 
picture as presented to my eyes. Yet at the dis- 
tance of only half a mile from this scene of coarse 
and vulgar confusion are the classic halls of Union 
College. Its president. Dr. Nott, has long been 
distinguished for eloquence, and especially a power 
of influencing the mhids and characters of his pupils. 
Many of the most brilliant and useful men of our 
country have been educated under his care. 

But, Louisa, I must bring this letter to a close ; I 
am fatigued with travelling, and confused with the 
new scenes which open upon me. I must wait till 
my mind is refreshed by repose, and my view of 
Albany has been more directed to particulars, before 
attempting to give you an idea of this seat of govern- 
ment of one of the most important states in the 
Union. I send you a sketch of the capitol,* a 
marble building, appropriated to the use of the dif- 
ferent branches of the state government. Like the 
ancient Roman capitol, it is situated upon a hill. 

Mamma and you will think we make but slow pro- 
gress in our journey ; indeed, much as I am inter- 
ested in the various objects which successively call 

* See Vignette. 



CAROLINE WESTERLEY. 227 

for our attention, I acknowledge that I begin to {eel 
very desirous of arriving at the venerated home of my 
dear mamma in Connecticut, and of enjoying the de- 
light of viewing the scenes and of knowing the 
iiiends famiHar and dear to her "childhood. Yet 
^apa thinks it necessary for me to become acquainted 
fvith the state of society and manners in Albany and 
Troy, and the local beauties of this region, as welt 
as the improvements made by art. Sensible of his 
kindness and anxiety for my benefit, I do not permit 
myself to repine that my emotions cannot at once be 
gratified by an immediate completion of our journey. 
We shall, after a short stay in this vicinity, pass down 
the Hudson to New-York, where we are to spend a 
week or two. This beautiful city I am very anxious 
to see ; and I shall not forget to describe to you what 
will strike me as most interesting in it. From New- 
York we shall proceed to New-Haven, by the way 
of Long Island Sound. Papa, you know, loves 
New-Haven, as the scene of his early studies. We 
have so often heard him describe its rural beauties, 
that I think either of us might make a tolerable 
sketch of it from imagination. A few miles from 
New-Haven brings us to the dear spot where our 
parents first beheld the works of God, and learned to 
view Him as their Redeemer, as well as their 
Creator. 



228 



CAROLINE WESTfiRLEY. 



Adieu, my dear sister, may we, like our parents^ 
enjoy in our meridian of life the satisfaction of feel- 
ing that its morniuj^ freshness was devoted to virtue 
and piety. 

Your ever affectionate 

Caroline. 



GLOSSARY. 



Alluvial — Soil deposited by water, often containing the re- 
mains of animals and vegetables. 

Alias — Otherwise. 

Alumine — Pure clay. 

AJurn — A mineral salt ; a siilphate of alumine and potash. 

Aqueduct — A structure made for the purpose of conveying 
water, either above or beneath the surface of the ground. 

Barometer — An instmment for measuring the weight or pres- 
sure of the atmosphere. 

Biped — An animal having two feet. 

Bravo — One who sets law at defiance ; the leading character 
of one of Cooper's novels. 

Canal — A watercourse, a long passage or excavation in the 
earth for conducting water, and confining it to narrow limits ; 
canal-boats are usually drawn by one or more horses, who travel 
in a path made by the side of the canal, called a tow-path. 

Cacoethes-scribendi — An itch for authorship. 

Calctiiff—A peculiar concretion of carbonate of lime. 

Carbonate of Lime — Composed of carbonic acid and hme. 

Carbonous Gas — The gas of carbon. 

Carbon — A substance wliich exists pure in the diamond ; some 
kinds of coal are almost pure carbon. 

Carburetted Hydrogen — A union of carbon with hydrogen gas. 

Calciferotis Slate — Slate containing lime. 

Calcareous — Partaking of the nature of calx, or lime. 

Condensation — The act of rendering a rare body more dense ; 
thus, steam on being condensed becomes water ; water on being 
condensed becomes ice. 

Conception — An image in the mind ; it differs from perception 
in being wholly a mental operation, while perception requires 
the presence of external objects and the aid of the bodily senses. 

Copperas — Green vitriol ; sulphate of iron. 

Cornitiferous Lime-rock — Lime-rock containing homstone. 

Coral — An animal substance formed by a small insect called 
the coral- worm. 

Corolla — The blossom of a flower. 
U 



230 GLOSSARV. 

Cutting — A term used in the fashionable world, to signify the 
dropping or discontinunig an acquaintance. 

Decomposed — Separated into its original elements; thus, car- 
bonate of" lime when decomposed gives the two substances car- 
bonic acid and Hme 

Disairsive — Touching on a variety of subjects. 

Disintegrated — Separated into particles by means of mechani- 
cal division ; carbonate of lime or rnarble, on being broken into 
pieces is said to be disintegrated; when chymically analyzed into 
carbonic acid and lime, it is said to be decomposed. 

Dog tooth Spar — Crystalhzed carbonate of lime, in the form of 
six-sided prisms. 

Eclat — A French word, signifying applause. 

Engineer — A person who works engines ; the word in a more 
extended sense is applied to those who are skilled in mathe- 
matics and mechanics. 

Ennui — A Frencli word, denoting a state of indifference, or 
of weariness of one's situation. 

Ethics — The science which treats of morals. 

Excavated— M^^e hollow, or dug out. 

Fashionables — People whose consequence in the world de- 
pends on a certain style of dress, m^anners, and mode of life. 

Ferriferous Rock — A mineral usually found bearing iron. 

Fonyiation — A term which in geology signifies a layer of rocks 
or of soil supposed to have been formed at the same period. 

Freestone — A general name for such kinds of stone as arc' 
easily manufactured ; sometimes more particularly applied to 
red sandstone. 

Fulcrum — The axis of motion, the prop or support by which 
a lever is sustained. 

Fungus Plant — Belonging to the mushroom family. 

Fuse — To melt. 

Geology — A science which treats of the earth's formation and 
of its rocks. 

Geodiferous Lime-rock — A kind of limestone which contains 
geodes or cavities. 

Genus — A collection of species. 

Gneiss — A compound mineral, considered the oldest rock ex- 
cept granite. 

Granite — A mineral composed of mica, quartz, and felspar; 
the oldest of all the rocks. 

Hornstone — A mineral which resembles horn. 

Hydrogen — The lightest of the gases ; with oxygen it forms 
water. 

Identity — Sameness ; personal identity is a subject belonging 
to metaphysics. 

Ignite — ^To inflame, to set on fire. 

Impressions af Fianis — In some kinds of rock, particulaily 



GLOSSARY. 331 

between layers of slate or argillite, are to be seen impressions of 
ferns and other plants, as if they had been imbedded in the clay 
•when in a soft state. 

Iroii Pyrites — Sulphate of iron having usually a yellow glitter- 
ing appearance. 

Layer — A bed or stratum. 

Labiate Blossom — A flower which resembles the lips of an ani- 
mal, like the sage, or catmint. 

Lichens — Plants which grow in patches upon the barks of old 
trees, upon stones, and old fences. 

Locks — Tight reservoirs for water, made for the purpose of 
conducting water over declivities. 

Locality — From locum, a place ; it signifies a place or situation. 

Madrepore — A species of coral, a carbonate of lime produced 
by the secretions of a marnie insect. 

Magnesium — One of the constituents of certain rocks ; com- 
bined with o.x;ygeu it forms magnesia. 

Mercury, or Quicksilver — Remarkable for being in a fluid state 
at the common temperature of the air ; it is used in the con- 
struction of thermometers and barometers, and in chymistry for 
collectmg certain gases ; it is also much used in medicine and 
in the arts. 

Mechanics — The science which shows the effects of powers 
or moving forces, so far as they are apphed to engmes, and de- 
monstrates the laws of motion. 

Metaphysician — One who studies into the nature of the mind. 

Microscope — A magnifying glass, used in the inspection of 
minute objects which cannot be well discerned by the naked 
eye. The telescope brings distant objects into view. 

Mica-slate — One of the primitive rocks, having usually a glis- 
tening appearance, owing to tiie quantity of mica, or isinglass, 
which it contains ; it splits into layers, and is much used for 
sidewalks and steps before buildings. 

Mineralogical — Relating to the mineral productions of the 
earth. 

Mome7it7tm — The quantity of force in a moving body. 

3forgan Conspiracy — A man by the name of Morgan, having a 
few years since revealed the secrets of the masonic institution, 
was seized by a number of persons, and forciljly conveyed from 
his home ; he is generally supposed to have been murdered, and 
his body tlirown into the Niagara River. The transaction is 
called the Morgan conspiracy. 

Mountain-ridge — An elevated tract of country extending from 
the Hudson to Lake Erie. 

Muriatic Acid — United to soda this substance forms comnrion 
salt ; it is also called hydro-chloric acid, being by most chymists 
considered as a compound body, composed of hydrogen and 
chlorine. 



S32 GLOSSARY. 

Muriate of Lime—k combination of muriatic acid and lime ; 
called also chloride of lime. 

Muriate of Soda — Conmion salt ; called also chloride of so- 
dium. 

Natural Science — The study of nature, embracing chymistry, 
natural philosophy, the various branches of natural history, &c. 

Natural History — The study of nature in the departments of 
zoology, botany, and mineralogy. 

Nov lescript— ThaX which does not come under the head of 
any description. 

Organization — Stmcture, form, &c., arrangement of the dif- 
ferent parts or members which constitute a compound body. 

Oxide of Iron — A union of oxygen with iron, as seen in iron 
rust and mmeralogical specimens. 

Oxygen — A gas which united to nitrogen forms the atmo- 
spheric air ; united to hydrogen it forms water, and to metals 
and alivaline bases oxides. 

Paddle-wheels— Wheels of a peculiar construction, used for 
propelling boats by means of steam-power. 

Petrifactions — Animal or vegetable substances changed to 
stone. 

Perception — An act of the mind, by which external objects be- 
come manifest to it (for the difference between this and con- 
ception, see the latter word). 

Phenomenon — In common language it signifies something 
strange or uncommon, in philosophy it denotes any change, 
common as well as uncommon. 

Phosphorus — A chymical substance, remarkable for inflaming 
at a low temperature. 

Piston— A part of the machinery of a steam-engine ; used also 
in various other machines. 

Potash — An alkaline substance, obtained by burning vegeta- 
bles and evaporating the he obtained from their ashes ; in 
chymistry it is known as the oxide of potassium. 

Primitive Formation — A term used in geology for that portion 
of the crust of the earth supposed to have been first formed. 

Propel — To move. 

Pyrites — A combination of sulphur with a metal, as iron 
pyrites, copper pyrites, &.C. 

Pyritiferous Rock — So called because it usually contains 
pyrites ; it belongs to the secondary formation. 

Quartz — One of the simple minerals constituting the geologi- 
cal alphabet ; it is a genus composed of a great variety of 
species, some of which are very beautiful ; it is often found in 
splendid crystals. 

Red Sandstone — Sometimes called sahferous rock, because it 
contains salt-beds and springs ; it is much used in building. 



GLOSSARY. 233 

Rob Roy — A leading character in one of Scott's novels ; a 
freebooter. 

SaliferoTis Rock — So called because it contains salt. 

Secondary Formation — Includes rocks supposed to be formed 
after the primitive and transition. 

Secondary Limestone — This rocli is generally found above coal- 
beds. 

Selenite Beds — Crystallized gypsum or sulphate of lime. 

Soda — An alkaline substance, composed of oxygen and a 
metal called sodium ; in chymistry it is known as the oxide of 
sodium ; it is one of the constituents of conunon salt, of sea- 
water, &:c. 

Solar Evaporation — Drying in the sun. 

Steamboat Boiler — The caldron which contains the water 
for the generation of steam. 

Steam-engine — An engine or machine worked by steam. 

Steam-power — The power or force produced by steam 

Stamens — A term used in botany to denote certain small or- 
gans within the blossom of a flower. 

Stratwn — A bed ; the plural is strata. 

Sidphate of Magnesia — Is a union of sulphuric acid and mag- 
nesia ; it is called Epsom salts. 

Svlphuric acid — Oil of vitriol ; it is formed by the union of 
sulphur with oxygen. 

Sulphurets — Combinations of sulphur with metallic bases. 

Sidpha'e of Lime — Is composed of sulphuric acid and lime ; its 
common name is {)laster of Paris. 

Shell-limestone — A rock composed of concretions of shells, or 
containing shells. 

Species — A collection of individuals ; the union of species mto 
one group forms a genus. 

System — A regular arrangement of parts, forming one con' 
nected whc le. 

Tout ememble — A French phrase, signifying the whole to- 
gether. 

Theory — A philosophical explanation of any process m nature 
or art. 

Treatise — An explanation of principles. 

Underlay— A term in geology, used to signify one rock or 
formation lying beneath another. 

Vacuum — Space devoid of all substance. 

Vats — Large vessels or cisterns. 

Vapour, or Steam — Formed from water on the application of 
heat ; it becomes again condensed into water on being cooled. 

Water lime-rock — A rcck which is nii.ch used in making mor- 
tar or cement for canals and bridges ; because the action of 
water hardens it, and renders it more durable. 
U3 



BOY'S AND GIRKS LIBRARY. 



Numbers already Published. — Each Work can be had 
separately. 



LIVES OP THE APOSTLES and EARLY MAR- 
TYRS OF THE CHURCH. 18mo. [No. I. of the Boy'a 
and Girl's Library. Designed for Sunday Reading.] 
This, as well as some of the subsequent numbers of the Boy's 
and Girl's Library, is especially designed for Sunday reading, 
and the object of the writer has been to direct the minds of 
youthful readers to the Bible, by exciting an interest in the lives 
and actions of the eminent apostles and martyrs who bore testi- 
mony to the truth of their missions and of the Redeemer by 
their preaching and their righteous death. The style is beauti- 
fully simple, and the narrative is interspersed with comments 
and reflections remarkable for their devout spirit, and for the 
clearness with which they elucidate whatever might appear to 
the tender mind either contradictory or unintelUgible. It is 
impossible for any child to read these affecting histories without 
becoming mterested ; and the interest is so directed and im- 
proved as to implant and foster the purest principles of rehgion 
and morahty. The most esteemed religious publications 
throughout the Union have united in cordial expressions of 
praise to this as well as th-e other Scriptural numbers of the 
Library, and the pubUshers have had the gratification of re- 
ceiving from individuals eminent for piety, the warmest com- 
mendations not only of the plan, but also of the manner in 
■which it has been so far executed- 



JUVENILE WORKS. 

THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON; or, ADVEN- 
TURES OF A FATHER AND MOTHER and FOUR 
SONS ON A DESERT ISLAND. In 3 vols. 18rao. 
[Nos. II. & III. of the Boy's and Girl's Library.] 
The purpose of this pleasing story is to convey instruction in 
the arts and Natural History, and, at the same time, to inculcate 
by example principles which tend to the promotion of social 
happiness. Every one has read or heard of Robinson Crusoe, 
and the unrivalled and long-continued popularity of that admi- 
rable narrative, proves that the tastes and feelings to which it 
addresses itself are among the strongest and most universal 
which belong to human nature. The adventures of the Swiss 
family are somewhat similar in character, and, of course, in in- 
terest; and they illustrate, in the most forcible and pleasing 
manner, the efficacy of piety, industry, ingenuity, and good- 
temper, in smoothing difficulties and procuring enjoyments 
under the most adverse circumstances. The story abounds 
with instruction and entertainment, and well deserves the high 
encomium that has been passed upon it, of being one of the 
best children's books ever written. 

" This little work is so niuch of a story, that it will seem a 
relaxation rather than a school-task, and at the same time it 
will give the juvenile reader more practical instruction in 
natural history, economy, and the means of contriving and helping 
one's self, than many books of the very best pretensions in the 
department of instruction." — Boston Daily Advocate. 

" We do not think a parent could select a more acceptable or 
judicious gift." — New-Haven Religious Intelligencer. 

" The story has all that wild charm of adventure and dis- 
covery which has made Robinson Crusoe such a wonder to 
every generation since it was written." — Baptist Repository. 

"This work is interesting and truly valuable." — U. S. Gaznts, 

"Well calculated to claim the attention of the interesting 
part of the community to which it is addressed"— iV. Y 



JUVENILE WORKS. 

SUNDAY EVENINGS ; or, an EASY INTRO- 
DUCTION TO THE READING of the BIBLE. [Nos. 
IV. and XIV. of the Boy's and Girl's Library.] 
The title of this excellent little work sufficiently expbins 
its object. As an introduction to the knowledge of Scripture 
History, and an incentive to the study of the Sacred Volume, 
it is calculated to produce the most happy effects upon the 
minds of children; and the simplicity of the language pre- 
serves to the story all those charms which are inherent in the 
narrative, but are sometimes lost to very youthful readers by 
their want of a perfect understanding of the words they read. 
Besides a developed and connected view, in easy language, 
of the Scripture story itself, the author has endeavoured to in- 
tersperse in the narrative such notices of the countries spoken 
of, together with such references to the New Testament and 
practical remarks, as would tend to make the book either more 
interesting, more intellectually improving, or more valuable in 
a moral and religious light : and it cannot fail of obtaining the 
approbation of all judicious and pious parents, and of proving, 
by the blessing of God, an assistance to the Christian mother, 
in giving to her children an early knowledge and love of hia 
Sacred Word. 

"The style is simple, the sentiments expressed Scriptural, 
and the book every way calculated as an assistant in the in 
Struction of children. — The Presbyterian. 

"To be commended cordially." — The Churchman. 
"We recommend it particularly to mothers and guardians 
of the young, confident that it will obtain their approbation, and 
prove an assistance to them in giving those under their care an 
early knowledge and love of the Sacred Word."— J.m. Traveller 
" The work is well worthy the attention of parents and in- 
structors, to whom we most cheerfully recommend it." — Boston 
Mirror. 

" It will be found, we tliink, a useful auxiliaiy in the hands 
of parents, and a most winning book to children." — Connectiaa 
Journal. 



JUVENILE WORKS. 

THE SON OF A GENIUS. By Mrs. Hofland 

[No. V. of the Boy's and Girl's Library.] 

This admirable story has been too long familiar to the pub- 
lic — at least to that portion of it which has advanced beyond 
the period of childhood — to require either eulogy or description. 
It has for many years maintained its place among the best and 
most esteemed juvpriile works in the English language; and its 
popiiiarily is easily accounted for by the touching interest of the 
incidents, and th« purity of the principles it inculcates both 
of wisdom and religion. The publishers were induced to re- 
print it as one of the numbers of the Boy's and Girl's Library, 
partly by the advice and solicitations of many of their friends, 
and their own knowledge of its merits, and partly by the con- 
sideration that it has long been out of print, and that it was very 
difficult to procure a copy. 

" ' The Son of a Genius' vvrill afford a profitable study to 
parents, as well as an exquisite treat to youths. It is an admi- 
rable tale : fascinating in its delineations, admirable in its moral, 
just as a picture of the mind, a faithful and tnie portraiture 
of the results of genius vaccilating, unapplied, and turning to 
ruin, and the same genius supported by sound moral principle, 
strengthened by judicious exercise and continuous eflfort, useful 
and triumphant. It is a striking illustration of the importance 
of metho<i, perseverance, and industry to produce the perfect 
fruits of genius ; and the utter uselessness of delicate taste, 
vivid conception, rapid performance, aided by generous affec- 
tions and engaging manner, to the attainment of excellence, 
without that steady application, which nothing but just moral 
princi[)le can ensure. The story is not, however, a refined, met 
apliysical disquisition on genius ; but a simple, engaging tale, 
which lets m upon the reader a sort of experience worth a hun 
dred essays." — Connecticut Journal. 

" To youth of both sexes this work forms an excellent piece 
of reading." — The Pennsylvanian. 

«• To our young friends it will aflford much entertainment*'— 
Boston Mirror. 



JUVENILE WORK?^ 

NATURAL HISTORY; or UNCLE PHILIP'S 

CONVERSATIONS with the CHILDREIN about 
TOOLS AND TRADES among the INFERIOR 
ANIMALS. [No VI. of the Boy's and Girl's Library.] 
The wonders of God's providence, as they are manifested 
in the figures, habits, and performances of the various creatures 
which fill the earth, the air, and the waters, — the endless varieties 
of form, the accuracy and ingenuity of their contrivances, 
whether for security or sustenance, and the admirable adapta- 
tion of their instruments to the works their instinct prompts 
them to construct, supply an exhaustless theme foi observation 
and astonishment, and call forth in the mind the most exalted 
ideas of the Supreme wisdom arxi benericence. In the capti- 
vating volume which forms the sixth numbf^r of the Boy's and 
Girl's Library, a portion of this department of science is treated 
of w>lh consummate ability, and the work has deservedly re- 
ceived the highest encomiums, not only for the extent, utility,, 
and interesting nature of the inibnnation it conveys, but also for 
the skill with which the ideas and language are adapted to the 
tastes as well as the capacities of youthful readers. But these 
are not its only or its greatest merits: its highest claims to 
praise are the tone of sincere and earnest piety which pervades' 
the conversations, and the excellence of the precepts drawn 
from the wonders they disclose. 

** It is written with a thorough knowledge of the subject, and 
with that delightful freshness of impression from natural sights 
which revives the days of our childhood. Here, then, is a 
bpautiful and appropriate present for the Christian parent." — 
2'7je Presbyterian. 

"This work deserves high praise. It displays much tact 
and ingenuity, guided by sound judgment, and controlled by 
fervent piety. Such books for the young are scarce, and likely 
to bfi so ; for few are able to produce them. Children will de- 
light in it, and profit by it."— T/ic Churchmnn. 

" We look upon this as one among the best juvenile work* 
we have met Yf'xih.:'— Baptist Repository, 



JUVENILE WORKS. 

INDIAN TRAITS; being SKETCHES of the 
MANNERS, CUSTOMS, and CHARACTER or 
THE NORTH AMERICAN NATR^ES. By B. B. 
Thatcher, Esq. [Nos. VII. and VIII. of the Boy's 
and Girl's Library.] 

The appearance, character, and habits of the North American 
Indians have long been a favourite and fertile theme for writers 
as well as readers, and accurate descriptions of them are equally 
instructive and agreeable. These fomi the subject of the 
seventh and eighth numbers of the Library, and they are ad- 
mitted to contain much correct and hiteresting information. A 
larger work (in the Family Library), by the same author, en 
titled "Indian Biography," treats of the history of those re- 
markable members of the human family : the work now under 
consideration makes no pretensions to that character, but is en- 
tirely descriptive ; and it is entitled to high praise, not only as 
being the first attempt to render the subject attractive to 
youtlifol readers, but also for the abihty with which the object 
is accomphshed. 

" These two httle volumes furnish the leading traits of Indian 
character in a style adapted to instruct wMe it interests the 
youthful reader." — N. Y. American. 

" Most entertaining and excellent volumes." — N. Y. Weekly 
Messenger. 

" The author has produced a work which will not only be 
Taluable to the young, but to all who wish for a concise and 
just delineation of what is most desirable to be known respect- 
ing the character and customs of the natives of North America." 
— Boston Traveller. 

"The language is easy and famiUar, and the descriptions 
quite mterestmg." — Atkinson's Evening Post. 

" Two volumes more interesting or more useful were nevtnr 
placed in the hands of American youth." — Boston Mirror. 

" These little volumes eqv.al in interest all that have gone 
before them in the same family." — Troy Bzcd^el 



(215) 
INTERESTING WORKS 

PUBLISHED BY J. & J. HARPER, 82 CLIFF-STREET, 

N E W - Y O R K, 
AND FOR SALE BY THE BOOKSELLERS GENERALLY 



JUVENILE WORKS. 

LIVES OF THE APOSTLES AND EARLY MARTYRS 
OF THE CHURCH. 18mo. (Suitable for Sunday Reading.) 

THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON ; or, Adventures of 
a Father and Mother and Four Sons on a Desert Island. In 2 
vols. 18nio. With Engravings. 

SUNDAY EVENINGS ; or. An easy Introduction to the 
Reading of the Bible. 18mo. (Suitable for Sunday Reading.) 
With Engravings. 

THE SON OF A GENIUS. By Mrs. Hofland. ISmo. 
With Engravings. 

NATURAL HISTORY; or. Uncle Philip's Conversations 
with the Children about Tools and Trades among the Inferior 
Animals. ISmo. With numerous Engidvtngs. 

INDIAN TRAITS. By the Author of "Indian Lives." 
In 2 vols. ISmo, With Engravings. 

TALES FROM AMERICAN HISTORY. By the Author 
of " American Popular Lessons." 3 vols. ISmo. Engravings. 

THE YOUNG CRUSOE ; ar, The Shipwrecked Boy. By- 
Mrs. Hofland. ISmo. With Engravings. 

ROXOBEL. By Mrs. Sherwood. Iu 3 vols. ISmo. 

HISTORY OF INSECTS. With Engravings. ISmo. 

ADVENTURES IN THE POLAR SEAS AND RE- 
GIQNS. l8mo. With Engravings. 



210 INTERESTING WORKS. 

THE WORKS OF MARIA EDGEWORTH. Complete 
Edition, [In press.} 

NARRATIVE OF SIR EDWARD SEAWARD'S SHIP- 
WRECK- Edited by Miss Jane Porter. In 3 vols. 12mo. 

HISTORY OF THE BIBLE. By the Rev. George 
R. Gleig. In 2 vols. 18mo. With a Map. 

ADVENTURES IN AFRICA. 18mo. With Engravings. 

AFFECTING SCENES; being Passages from the Diary of 
a late Physician. In 2 vols. 18mo. 

THE PERCY ANECDOTES. Revised Edition. To 
which is added, a valuable Collection of AMERICAN ANEC- 
DOTES. 8vo. Portraits. 

LIFE OF WICLIF. By C. W. Le Bas. 18mo. Portrait. 

THE CONSISTENCY OF REVELATION WITH IT- 
SELF AND WITH HUMAN REASON. By Philip Nic^- 
OLAS Shuttleworth, D.D. 18mo. 

LUTHER AND THE LUTHERAN REFORMATION- 
By Rev. John Scott, M.A. In 2 vols. 18mo. Portraits. 

HISTORY OF THE REFORMED RELIGION IN 
FRANCE. By Rev. Edward Smedley, M.A. In 2 vols. 
13mo. Portraits. 

XENOPHON. Translated by Edward Spelman, Esq., and 
Sir M. A. Cooper. In 2 vols. ISmo. Portrait. 

THE ORATIONS OF DEMOSTHENES. By Leland. 
In 2 vols. 18mo. Portrait. 

SALLUST. By Rose. 18mo. Portrait. 

CJESAR'S COMMENTARIES. By Duncan. In 2 vols. 
18mo. Portrait. 

THE FAMILY LIBRARY— comprising a number of well- 
written works, on a vanety of useful subjects, suitable for 
readers of all ages— published in a neat and cheap form. 



HARPER'S FAMILY LIBRARY. 

DESIGNED FOR ADULT PERSONS. 



" Books that you may carry to the fire, and hold readily in your hand, 
are the most useful after all. A man will often look at them, and be 
tempted to go on, when he would have been frightened at books of a larger 
size, and of a more erudite appearance." — Dk. Johnson. 



The proprietors of the Family Library feel themselves stimulated to 
increased exertions by the distinguished favour with which it has already 
been received. 

The volumes now before the public may be confidently appealed to 
as proofs of zeal on the part of the publishers to present to their readers 
a series of productions, which, as they are connected, not with ephemeral, 
but with permanent subjects, may, years hence as well as now, be con-- 
suited for lively amusement as well as solid instruction. 

To render this Library still more worthy of jratronage, the proprie- 
tors propose incorporating in it such works of interest and value as 
may appear in the various Libraries and Miscellanies now preparing in 
Europe, particularly " Constable's Miscellany," the " Edinburgli Cabinet" 
Library, &c. All these productions, as they emanate from the press, 
will be submitted to literary gentlemen lor inspection ; and none will be 
reprinted but such as shall be found calculated to sustain the exalted 
character which this Library has already acquired. 

Several well-known authors have been engaged to prepare for it original 
works of an American character, on History, Biography, Travels, &c. &c. 
Every distinct subject will in general be comprehended in one volume, 
or at most in three volumes, which may form either a portion of the 
Series or a complete work by itself; and each volume will be embellished 
with appropriate engravings. 

The entire series will be the production of authors of eminence, who 
have acquired celebrity by their literary labours, and whose names, as 
they appear in succession, will afford the surest guarantee to the public 
for the satisfactory manner in which the subjects will be treated. 

Such is the plan by which it is intended to form an American Family 
Library, comprising all that is valuable in those branches of knowledge 
Which most happily unite entertainment with instruction. The utmosf 
care will be taken, not only to exclude whatever can have an injurious 
mtluence on the mind, but to embrace every thing calculated to strengthen 
the best and most salutary impressions. 

With these arrangements and facilities, the publishers flatter them-- 
selves that they shall be able to present to their fellow-citizens a vvorfe 
of unparalleled merit and cheapness, embracing subjects adapted to all 
classes of readers, and formitig a body of literature deserving the praise 
of having instructed many, and amused all ; and above every other spe- 
cies of eulogy, of being St to he introduced, without reserve or exception, 
by the father of a family to the domestic circle. Meanwhile, the very low 
price at w hich it is charged renders more extensive patronage necessary 
lor its support and prosecution. The immediate encouragetnent, there-' 
fore, of those who approve its plan and execution is respectfully solicited* 
The work may be obtained m complete sets, or in separate numbers^. 
from the principal booksellers throughout the United States, 



Notices of the Family Library. 

"The publishers have hitherto fully deserved their daily increasing 
reputation by the good taste and judtrment which have infiuenced the 
selections of works for the Fami'v hi\iTa.xy y— Albany Daily Advertiser. 

"The Family Library — A title which, from the valuable and entertain- 
ing matter the collection contains, as well as from the careful style of its 
execution, it well deserves. No family, indeed, in which there are chil- 
dren to be brought up, ought to be without this Library, as it furnishes 
the readiest resources for that education which ought to accompany or 
succeed that of the boarding-school or the academy, and is infinitely more 
conducive than either to the cultivation ofthe intellect."— Mo?if/i/j/ Review. 

•'It is the duty of every person having a family to put this excellent 
Library inio the hands of his children." — N. Y. Mercantile Advertiser. 

" It is one of the recommendations of the Family Library, that it em- 
braces a large circle of interesting matter, of important information and 
agreeable entertainment, in a concise manner and a cheap form. It is 
eminently calculated for a popular series— published at a price so low, 
that i)ersons of the most moderate income may purchase it— combining a 
matter and a style that the most ordinary mind may comprehend it, at the 
same time that it is calculated to raise the moral and intellectual character 
of the people." — Constellation. 

" We have repeatedly borne testimony to the utility of this work. It is 
one of the best that has ever been issued from the American press, and 
should be in the library of every family desirous of treasuring up useful 
knowledge." — Boston Statesman- 

"We venture the assertion that there is no publication in the country 
more suitably adapted to the taste and requirements of the great mass of 
community, or better calculated to raise the intellectual character of the 
middling classes of society, than the Family Library.''— Boston Masonic 
Mirror. 

" We have so ofTten recommended this enterprising and uselYil publica- 
tion (the Family Library), that we can here only :idd, that each succes- 
sive numb'^ r appears to confirm its merited i)optilarity."— N. Y. American. 

" The little volumes of this series truly comport with their title, and are 
in themselves a Family Library." — N. Y. Commercial Advertiser. 

" We recommend the whole set of the Family Library as one of the 
cheapest means of affording pleasing instruction, and imparting a proper 
pride in books, with which we are acquainted." — ['. S. Gazette. 

" It will prove instructing and amusing to all classes. We are pleased 
to learn that the works comprising this Library have become, as they 
ought to be, quite popular among the heads of families." — N. Y. Gazette. 

"The Family Library is, what its name implies, a collection of various 
original works of the best kind, containing reading useful and interesting 
to the family circle. It is neatly printed, and should be in every family 
that can afford it— the price being mo(ievaie"—Neio-Engla7id Palladium. 

" We are pleased to see that the publishers have obtained sufficient en 
couragement to continue their valuable Family Lihrary."— Baltimore Rs 
publican. 

"The Family Library presents, in a compendious and convenient forms 
well-written histories of popular men, kingdoms, sciences, <fcc. arranged 
and edited by able writers, and drawn eiiiirelj from the most correct and 
accredited authnrities. It is, as it professes to be, a Family Library, from 
■which, at little expense, a household may prepare themselves for a con- 
sideration of those elementary subjects of education and society, without a 
due acquaintance v.itii whici-. ii-.ither man nor woman has claim to be 
well bred, or ifa take their proper plac^e among those with whorn they 
tb\'i6.'-— Charleston Gazette. 



JUVENILE WORKS. 

TALES FROM AMERICAN HISTORY. [Nos. IX. 
X. and XL of the Boy's and Girl's Library.] 

The writer of these Tales has had in view two chief pur- 
poses, — the one to convey to the juvenile reader a general idea 
of the incidents connected with the discovery and subsequent 
history of the American continent ; the other to excite an in- 
terest in the subject which shall create a desire for more minute 
and extensive information. These purposes have been effected 
with much success, and the volumes will be found instructive 
and entertaining. In the majority of instances, the Tales have 
been selected with reference to the illustration of some moral 
principle ; and the frequent opportunities afforded for the intro- 
duction of reflections leading to the cultivation of piety and re- 
ligion have been ably and zealously improved. As a school- 
book this collection of Historical Tales is calculated to be emi- 
nently serviceable ; and there can be no doubt that their intro- 
duction into seminaries will be attended with both pleasure and 
advantage to the scholars. 

" It is sufficient praise for this work to say that it is by the 
author of ' American Popular Lessons,' of whose powers of pre- 
senting knowledge to the young mind in a graceful and attract- 
ive garb the pubhc are not now to be informed." — N. Y. Evening 
Post. 

*' A collection which is really deserving of its title. We have 
looked over these Tales with great pleasure, and find them full 
of interest and instruction." — N. Y. Advocate. 

" One of the best works that can be put into the hands of our 
youth. ... It presents aU the circumstances respecting the dis- 
covery of this country, in a condensed form, clothed in language 
calculated to interest the young. It ought to be in the hands 
of every youth ; and it cannot be too early or too extensively ia- 
troduced into our schools." — The Cabinet of Religion. 

' The stories are highly interesting, and abound with pleasing 
illustrations and notices of the history, original inhabitants, pro- 
ductions, and first settlers of our own portion of the globe." — 
Courier and En/j^drer. 



mtERESTING BOOKS FOR YOtJNG PERSONS. 

ROXOBEL. By Mrs. Sherwood, Author of 
« The Lady of the Manor," &c. In 3 vols. 
ISmo. With engravings. 

« — An interesting story It is in Mrs. Sherwood'a 

happiest manner, and though intended for the instruction 
and amusement of the young, will rivet the attention of 
readers of unvitiated taste of every age. V\ e recommend 
it as an excellent and instructive book." — N. Y. American. 

" There is not a page or a line in this work that the pure 
and virtuous may not read with pleasure." — Am. Traveller. 

«* A vein of strict morality runs through her writings, and 
all her sentiments upon the incidents which she chooses 
for subjects are calculated to draw forth the finest and most 
honourable feelings of our nature." — N. Y. Even. Journal. 

NATURAL HISTORY of INSECTS. 

L histrated by numerous engravings. 18mo. 

" Of all studies, perhaps, there is none more captivating 

than that of animated nature The present volume is 

peculiarly useful and agreeable." — N. Y. Mirror. 

"■ The sul)ject is full of interest and satisfaction, and is 
adapted to all classes of readers." — A.^. jjifening Journal. 

" It is the duty of every person having a family to put this 
excellent work into the hands of his children." — Mer. Adv. 

" It seems to us that it will prove at once agreeable and 
instructive to persons of all classes."— iV. Y. Daily Adv 

SIR EDWARD SEAWARD'S NARRA- 
TIVE OF HIS SHIPWRECK, &c. Ed- 
ited by Miss Jane Porter. 3 vols. 12nio. 

*' We have finished the perusal of this most agreeable 
work, and almost regret that the pleasure of a first perusal 
has gone by ; though it is one of those books which will 
bear reading again and again." — Commercial Advertiser. 

" It is a narrative of great interest, told in a plain, un- 
pretending style, in a religious and moral tone." — Standard,- 



NEW RELIGIOUS BOOKS, FOR GENERAL READING. 

J. &L J. HARPER, NEW-YORK, 

^AVE NOW IN THE COURSE OF REPUBLICATION 

THE 

THEOLOGICAL LIBRARY 



THIS PUBLICATION WILL BE COMPRISED IN A LIMITED NUMBER OF 

70LDMES, AND IS INTENDED TO FORM, WHEN COMPLETED, 

A DIGESTED SYSTEM OF RELIGIOUS AJJD 

ECCLESIASTICAL KNOWLEDGE. 

THE LIFE OF WICLIF. 

BY CHARLES WEBB LE BAS, M.A. 

Professor in the East India College, Herts ; and lale Fellow of Tnnii\ 

College, Cambridge. 



THE CONSISTENCY OF THE WHOLE SCHEME OF RE VELA 
TION WITH ITSELF, AND WITH HUMAN REASON. 

By p. N. Shi tti.euokth, D.D. 
Warden of New College, Oxford. 

lUTHER AND THE LUTHERAN REFORMATION 
By Rev. J. Scott. In 2 vols. Ponraits. 



VOLUMES IN PREPARATION. 

HISTORY OF THE INQUISITION 

By Joseph Blanco White, M.A. 

Of tile University of Oxford. 

HISTORY OF THE PRINCIPAL COUNCILa 

Bv J. H. Nfjwman, M.A. 

Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford. 



THEOLOGICAL LIBRARY (contt%ued). 

THE LIVES OF THE CONTINENTAL REFORMER^ 

No. I. LIFE OF MARTIN LUTHER. 

By Hugh James Rose, B.D. 

Christian Advocate in the University of Cambridge. 

THE LATER DAYS OF THE JEWISH POLITY: 

with a copious Tmroduction and Notes (chiefly derived from the Tal- , 

mudists and Rabbinical Writers). With a view to illustrate 

the Language, the Manners, and general History 

of the New Testament. 

By Thomas Mitchell, Esq. A.M. 

Late Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. 

HISTORY OF THE CHURCH IN IRELAND. 

By C. R. Ei.iNGTON, D.D. 

Regius Professor of Divinity in the University of Dublin. 

THE DIVINE ORIGIN OF THE CHRISTIAN REVELATION 

demonstrated in an analytical Inquiry into the Evidence on which the 

Belief of Christianity has been established. 

By William Rowe Lyai.i , M.A. 

Archdeacon of Colchester, and Rector of Fairstead and Weeley in Essex, 

HISTORY OF THE REFORMED RELIGION IN FRANCE. 

By Edward Smedi ey, M.A. 

Late Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Camhridge. 

ILLUSTRATIONS OF EASTERN MANNERS, SCRIPTURAL 

PHRASEOLOGY, &c. 

By Samuel Lee, B.D. F.R.S. M.R.A.S. 

Eegius Professor of Hebrew in the University of Cambridge. 

HISTORY OF SECTS. 

By F. E. Thompson, M.A. 

Perpetual Curate of Brentford. 

SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF LITURGIES: 

comprising a Particular Account of the Liturgy of the Church of 
England. 
By Henry John Rose, B.D. 
Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. 

HISTORY OF THE CHURCH IN SCOTLAND 

By Michael Russell, LL.D. 
Author of the " Connexion of Sacred and Profane History."^ 

THE LIFE OF GROTIUS. 

By James Nichols, F.S.A. 

Author of "' Arminianism and Calvinism compared. 



L8Jei4 



